Vegan Tteokbokki

by Isabella Halko

May 23, 2020

My father worked and took college classes when I was a child, so I spent a large portion of my childhood with my grandmother, my Halmeoni. Some of my earliest memories were eating small dried anchovies called Myulchi bokkeum, going to the Korean convenience store and getting free ice cream, or going to the few Korean churches in the Harrisburg area and sitting in the back rooms, playing with the toys. I also remember getting older and feeling unease at hearing two elderly women speaking Korean, looking in my direction.

I would look forward to our trips down to the Koreatown of Ellicott City. I loved the trips to the H-Mart, Lotte Mart, and the BBQ place. It’s where I first ate my favorite dish, Jajangmyeon, and where I learned to love spicy foods like this tteokbokki. I would look forward to the Korean-American wives clubs events that my grandmother would force me to go to where I would fill up on a purple rice dish and various noodle dishes. I still go to the H-Marts here in Massachusetts and I always force my roommates to come because it really is a magical place. The last couple of trips have been jarring, though. H-Marts almost always have a food court and a bakery. Seeing everything closed down and blocked off made the store feel lonely. I long for the day where I can sit with my roommates and force them to try new foods.

Before everything back home shut down, my father told me my grandmother got a couple glares out in public after sneezing once and my heart stopped. I had read for weeks about how Asian Americans were getting harassed and I worried and prayed that she wouldn’t get yelled at by someone who is looking for someone to blame. I know that my grandmother doesn't think much of it, she’s definitely forgotten about it by now but I won’t. She doesn’t deserve that, no one does.

It’s not easy cooking for a vegan roommate. There are so many Korean dishes that I want to share with my roommates but they usually have some sort of animal product in them and let's face it, they just wouldn’t be the same. I’m sure they would be good but they wouldn’t make me feel like I’m sitting in my grandmother’s kitchen again.

My roommate, Alanna, says that she doesn’t mind making her own food but I do. If I’m cooking a meal I want it to be for everyone. I refuse to leave her out, especially during this shutdown that’s making a lot of people feel very alone. During times like this we need every bit of comfort and companionship that we can get. So here I am, 400 miles away, making a dish I'm still not totally sure how to pronounce and making it in a way that my grandmother would probably crucify me for (she is very strict about sticking to the traditional recipes). But deep down I know she would much rather everyone be fed and everyone be included.

Vegan Tteokbokki

Ingredients:

1 pound rice cake pieces (the long tube shaped ones are the best.)

4 ounces green cabbage yangbaechu,

1 - 2 scallions

3 of water or vegetable broth

3 tablespoons Korean red chili pepper paste -- gochujang

1 - 3 teaspoons Korean red chili pepper flakes -- gochugaru

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar (use 1 tablespoon if you like it less sweet)

1 tablespoon corn syrup or additional 1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoon minced garlic

Instructions:

Soak the rice cakes in water for about 20 minutes if hardened or refrigerated. Cut cabbage, and scallions into about 2-inch long pieces.

Add the water or vegetable broth to a large pan. Stir in the sauce ingredients. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to dissolve the gochujang paste.

Add the rice cakes. Boil until the rice cakes become very soft and the sauce is thickened, about 8 - 10 minutes. Stir frequently so the rice cakes don't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add the cabbage and scallions, and continue to boil, stirring constantly, for an additional 5 minutes. Depending on the rice cakes, you may need more time to reach the desired level of softness, add more broth or water as necessary. Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.

Notes:

Do not reheat tteokbokki in the microwave. To reheat, place leftovers in a pot with a little bit of broth or water and heat over the stove.
Tteokbokki is typically made with an anchovy broth and fish cakes
There are other variations of this dish that are popular in Korea. One of my favorites is to add instant ramen noodles.
The amount of gochugaru flakes you add depends on how spicy you like your food. They can be removed from the dish if you don’t like too much spice.

Isabella Halko is a senior at Salem State University.

This post is part of a series of student reflections by Salem State's Spring 2020 Introduction to Public History students.

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