Can You Really Make Tteokbokki Rice Cakes from Rice?

 Tteokbokki Rice Cakes from Rice

Yes, you can make chewy tteokbokki rice cakes starting with ordinary short-grain rice. This recipe was inspired by a viewer who could not find the rice flour used in one of my previous rice cake recipes. She asked whether tteokbokki rice cakes could be made directly from rice instead.

That question led me to soak and grind Korean-style short-grain rice at home. The freshly ground rice is mixed with hot water, shaped by hand, and steamed before being added to a simple sweet and spicy tteokbokki sauce.

This is especially useful if packaged Korean rice cakes or the right kind of rice flour are difficult to find where you live.

Is This a Traditional Korean Recipe?

Tteokbokki is a popular Korean snack made with cylinder-shaped rice cakes called garaetteok and a sauce commonly based on gochujang. Korea.net describes it as one of Korea’s signature snack foods.

This recipe is a home-style variation. Instead of using professionally milled rice flour and pounding or extruding the dough, I grind soaked rice in a blender and shape each rice cake by hand.

The tteokbokki is also intentionally simple. I leave out fish cakes, eggs, and vegetables so the texture and flavor of the homemade rice cakes can stand out. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups (480 ml by volume) Korean-style short-grain white rice or sushi rice
• 2 pinches salt for each batch
• 5–6 tbsp (75–90 ml) hot water for each 2-cup batch of freshly ground rice flour
• ½ tbsp sesame oil
• ½ tbsp cooking oil

Tteokbokki Sauce

• 1½ cups (360 ml) water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1–2 tbsp gochugaru
• 1½ tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp beef seasoning powder, such as Dashida
• Black pepper, optional
• Chopped scallions, optional

Ingredient Notes

Short-Grain Rice 

• Use Korean-style short-grain white rice or sushi rice. This is the type of rice commonly used for everyday Korean meals.
• Do not use glutinous rice, also called sweet rice. It is a different type of rice and will produce a different texture. 

Gochugaru 

• Gochugaru is Korean red pepper powder or red pepper flakes. Use 1 tablespoon for a milder sauce or up to 2 tablespoons if you enjoy more heat. 

Gochujang

• Gochujang is a thick Korean red chili paste. It gives the sauce its familiar spicy, slightly sweet flavor and deep red color. 

Beef Seasoning Powder

• I use Korean beef seasoning powder, such as Dashida, to season the sauce. This is the seasoning used in the video. 

How to Make Tteokbokki Rice Cakes from Rice

1. Soak the Rice: Rinse 2 cups (480 ml by volume) of short-grain rice three or four times. Place the rice in a bowl and add enough water to cover it generously. Soak for about 10 hours. If soaking overnight, keep the bowl in the refrigerator.

2. Remove the Surface Moisture: Drain the soaked rice very well. My 2 cups of dry rice measured approximately 2½ cups after soaking. Line a wide tray with paper towels and spread the rice into a thin, even layer. Let it rest for about 30 minutes. The goal is not to dry the rice completely. You only want to remove surface moisture so the rice grinds into fine crumbs rather than a wet paste.

3. Grind and Strain the Rice: Place about half of the soaked rice in a blender. Grinding smaller amounts at a time allows the rice to move more freely and helps produce a finer texture.Stop the blender once the rice is partially ground. Loosen any rice collected along the sides and bottom, then grind again until as fine as possible. Pass the ground rice through a fine-mesh strainer. Return any larger pieces to the blender and grind them again. Coarse grains can make the finished rice cakes feel gritty, so this step makes an important difference. My freshly ground rice flour measured about 5½ cups. Your amount may vary depending on how much moisture remains and how firmly the flour is measured.

4. Mix the Dough in Small Batches: Divide the rice flour into three batches: 2 cups, 2 cups, and 1½ cups. For each 2-cup batch, add 2 pinches of salt and start with 5 tablespoons (75 ml) of hot water. Add 1 more tablespoon (15 ml) only if needed. For the final 1½-cup batch, I used about 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of hot water.

Add the water gradually, since the amount needed will depend on the moisture in the flour. The dough is ready when it holds together without cracking easily. If it becomes too sticky, add rice flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Keep each finished batch in a plastic bag to prevent it from drying out.

5. Shape the Rice Cakes: Take out only the dough you are currently shaping and keep the rest covered. Pinch off a small piece and roll it between your palms to form a short cylinder. Try to keep the rice cakes similar in thickness and length so they cook evenly. I make mine small enough to eat comfortably in one bite. Thinner rice cakes will also absorb the sauce more quickly. The video shows the dough consistency and hand motion more clearly if this is your first time shaping them.

 

6. Steam the Rice Cakes: Bring the water in a steamer to a boil. Line the steamer basket with a steamer liner or parchment paper. Arrange the shaped rice cakes with a little space between them. Cover and steam over high heat for about 20 minutes. 

7. Cool and Coat the Rice Cakes: Briefly dip the cooked rice cakes in cold water, then drain them well. Add ½ tablespoon sesame oil and ½ tablespoon cooking oil. Toss gently until the rice cakes are lightly coated. The oil helps prevent sticking while adding a little shine and nutty flavor. At this point, the homemade tteokbokki rice cakes should feel soft and pleasantly chewy. They are also delicious dipped in honey. 

How to Make the Tteokbokki

1. Start the Sauce: Add 1½ cups (360 ml) of water to a pan and bring it to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the cooked homemade rice cakes. 

2. Add the Seasonings: When the water begins boiling again, add:

• 1–2 tablespoons gochugaru
• 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon gochujang
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon beef seasoning powder, such as Dashida
• Black pepper, if using

Stir until the seasonings are evenly combined. 

3. Finish the Tteokbokki: Continue cooking until the sauce becomes glossy, thickens slightly, and coats the rice cakes well. The rice cakes are already cooked, so they do not need to simmer longer than necessary. Finish with chopped scallions, if desired. The homemade rice cakes should hold their shape while remaining soft and chewy inside. 

Helpful Tips

• Remove only the surface moisture from the soaked rice. Do not allow it to dry completely.
• Grind the rice in smaller batches and process any coarse pieces again.
• Use hot water for the dough and add it gradually.
• Keep unused dough covered at all times because it dries and cracks easily.
• Shape the rice cakes to a similar thickness for even cooking.

Storage

• Homemade rice cakes have the best texture when freshly made.
• To save extra rice cakes, let them cool completely. Divide them into portions, place them in freezer bags, and freeze.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use long-grain rice?

• This recipe was tested with Korean-style short-grain rice or sushi rice. I have not tested it with long-grain rice, so I cannot recommend the same method or measurements.

Is short-grain rice the same as glutinous rice?

• No. Short-grain white rice is regular cooking rice. Glutinous rice, also called sweet rice, is a different variety with a much stickier texture.

Why did my rice turn into a wet paste in the blender?

• Too much surface moisture may have remained after draining. Spread the soaked rice over paper towels for about 30 minutes before grinding, but do not dry it completely. 

How do I know when the dough has enough water? 

• It should hold together when pressed, and the edges should not crack easily. Add hot water gradually because the amount needed will depend on the moisture in the ground rice.

How can I tell whether the rice cakes are fully cooked?

• Cut one open after steaming. The center should be cooked through without a white, dry, or powdery section.

Making tteokbokki rice cakes directly from rice takes more time than opening a package, but it can be very satisfying—especially when the right rice cakes are difficult to find. If you try this recipe, I would love to hear how your homemade rice cakes turned out.

📺 Prefer watching instead of reading?

Watch the full step-by-step YouTube video below to see exactly how I make this recipe at home.

Tools and ingredients I use are here 💛👇https://www.amazon.com/shop/chungskfood