Description
Korean rabokki blends ramen noodles and rice cakes in a spicy, savory sauce that delights street-food enthusiasts. Diners can quickly prepare this Seoul-inspired comfort dish with simple ingredients and enjoy its complex flavor profile.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ½ cups (828 ml) water
- 1 package (about 4.2 oz or 119 g) Korean instant ramen noodles, such as Nongshim Shin Original Ramyun
- 10 oz (283 g) frozen Korean rice cake sticks, such as Hansang
- 5 ½ oz (156 g) frozen fried fish cake sheets, such as Choripdong
- 5 medium dried anchovies
- 3 medium scallions
- 1 piece (about 4x1-inch) dried kombu
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) gochujang pepper paste
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) oligo syrup or light corn syrup
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) gochugaru red chili powder, preferably fine
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) roasted sesame seeds
- Kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare Base: Thaw rice cakes and fish cake sheets at room temperature until completely soft, then slice fish cake into 1-inch strips and chop scallions diagonally.
- Craft Stock: Boil water with dried anchovies and kombu for 3 minutes to extract deep umami essence, then strain and reserve aromatic liquid.
- Develop Sauce: Whisk gochujang, oligo syrup, and gochugaru into reserved stock, creating a vibrant, glossy spicy base with complex flavor layers.
- Combine Ingredients: Add rice cakes and fish cake strips to spicy sauce, stirring frequently to ensure even coating and heat distribution.
- Integrate Noodles: Cook instant ramen briefly in sauce, gently separating noodles and allowing them to absorb rich, spicy liquid completely.
- Final Touch: Season with kosher salt, garnish with fresh scallion greens and roasted sesame seeds for textural contrast and aromatic complexity.
- Serve Immediately: Plate while sauce remains glossy and ingredients are hot, noting natural thickening will occur as dish cools.
Notes
- Optimize Rice Cake Texture: Fully thaw rice cakes at room temperature to ensure soft, pliable consistency for perfect bite and absorption of spicy sauce.
- Master Seafood Stock Technique: Extract maximum umami by boiling anchovies and kombu precisely for 3 minutes, creating a rich foundational flavor base.
- Control Sauce Consistency: Whisk gochujang, oligo syrup, and gochugaru thoroughly to create a vibrant, glossy sauce that coats ingredients evenly.
- Serve Strategically: Enjoy immediately after cooking, as the sauce naturally thickens while cooling, enhancing the dish’s overall texture and flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 1,200 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 90 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg