Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes)

Prepare the rice cakes. If they are hard, soak them in warm water for about 10-20 minutes to soften them up. If they are fresh and soft, you can skip this step. Cut the fish cakes into bite-sized triangles or strips.

Make the sauce. In a wide, shallow pan, combine the anchovy broth (or water), gochujang, gochugaru, sugar (or corn syrup), and minced garlic.

Whisk the sauce ingredients together until the gochujang is fully dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

Once the sauce is boiling, add the soaked and drained rice cakes. Stir immediately to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice cakes become soft and plump.

Add the fish cakes to the pan. Continue to simmer for another 5-8 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency and the rice cakes are perfectly chewy.

During the last few minutes, you can add optional ingredients like sliced scallions, a hard-boiled egg, or even ramen noodles to make "rabokki".

Once done, remove from heat. The sauce should be glossy and coat the rice cakes well.

Serve hot immediately. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds if desired.