Sotteok Sotteok: Irresistible Skewers of Rice Cake and Sausage

INTRODUCTION

Sotteok is a very popular street food in South Korea, which is a perfect combination of chewy rice cakes (tteok) and delicious sausage. It is cooked properly and served on skewers. This delicious snack is not only a lot of fun, but it is also very easy to make at home, which makes it a great option for parties or relaxing time at home. In this article, we shall discuss the ingredients required to prepare this scrumptious dish and the methods applied when preparing it and its cooking.

What is sotteok?

Sotteok is one of the most popular Korean street foods, as it has spicy rice cakes and Korean sausage skewered and fried before being served atop spicy gochujang sauce. It is similar to tteokkochi, consisting of rice cakes dipped in gochujang sauce and skewered, only it features sausage.

The word “sottok” is a blend of the Korean words “sottok” (which means “rice cakes”) and “seo” (which means “sausage”). This popular street dish was created by a Korean comedian. This chewy and delicious snack is sometimes also known as “so-ttok so-tok”, giving it a cute name. Typically, it can be found at “bunsikjip”, a type of Korean snack bar or restaurant.

What are Korean rice cakes?

Korean rice cakes, called tteok, are prepared in various shapes from a mixture of glutinous and steamed rice flour.

Garae-tteok, which are cylindrical rice cakes, are used in recipes such as budae-jjigae and tteokbokki.
In Korea, flat and oval rice cakes are also used, primarily in a soup called tteokguk, which is served on New Year.

The most popular use of flat, oval rice cakes in Chinese cuisine is in stir-fried nian gao. You’ll find Korean rice cakes in the freezer or refrigerator departments of large Asian supermarkets or Korean grocery stores.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Easy to make: You will be able to enjoy delicious street food at your home after just a few simple steps like boiling the tteok, preparing the sauce, and skewering this street food.
• Uses minimal ingredients: The main ingredients of this dish are rice cakes and small sausages, while the rest of the ingredients may already be in your kitchen.
• Gluten-free: Good for everyone who would love a yummy, gluten-free dessert.
• Delicious: This combination of being a little soft on the outside, and the interiors soft and chewy – how she has described the rice cakes – would go so well with the smoky sausage and the saltiness. It satisfies all taste buds with a sweet glaze, sourness, and full of spices.
• Delicious and satisfying: This combination of savory rice cakes and savory sausage is so delicious that many consider it a street food favorite
• Customizable: This recipe is extremely versatile, as the ingredients and sauce can be easily customized to your liking, and it is suitable for any occasion
• Fun to Make: Notably, preparing these skewers can be a fun activity, especially when you are spending time with family or at a party.

Tips and Variations

• Sausage Alternatives: I will use any variety of sausages, either chicken, pork, or even vegetable whatever your preference.
• Vegetarian Option: If you want to cook this dish as a vegetarian one, you can substitute sausage with sautéed vegetables, mushrooms, zucchini, and bell peppers.
• Spicy Twist: If you want to make it more spicy, you can use spicy gochujang or add more chili flakes to the sauce.

Ingredients

MAIN 

• 48 pieces Korean rice cake (garaetteok), (342g / 12 ounces)
• 32 pieces cocktail sausage (230g / 8.1 ounces)
• Some cooking oil (I used canola oil)

SAUCE

• 1/3 cup raw sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce, regular
• 1/2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)

GARNISH (OPTIONAL)

• toasted sesame seeds or other crushed nuts
• American mustard sauce
• mayonnaise

Directions

1. To make the rice cakes more pliable, blanch them in boiling water for one to two minutes. Next, drain the water and wash the rice cakes under cold tap water. Keep it aside for later use.
2. If your rice cakes are fresh and pliable, and if skewers can pass through them easily, you can skip this step.
3. Put all the ingredients of the sauce in a vessel and keep stirring continuously. Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves completely and the sauce thickens. It will take about five minutes to complete. Keep stirring the sauce frequently to ensure that it does not burn. Keep it aside for later use.
4. Put the rice cakes and sausages on skewers in such a way that both types of ingredients fall into a pattern. If you are using 12 centimeters (or 4.7 inches) long skewers, try to put three rice cakes and two sausages on each skewer. This will maintain a balance in size.
5. Heat oil in a wide pan and boil it. Slowly insert the skewers into the hot oil and fry for about a minute on each side so that they cook evenly. Make sure to fry the skewers in the pan in batches so that they do not get overcrowded.
6. If you don’t want to deep fry the skewers, you can also pan-grill them, using less oil. Carefully remove the fried skewers with tongs and place them on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
7. Continue this process until all the skewers are cooked thoroughly.
8. Make sure the skewers are evenly coated on both sides, so brush them thoroughly with the sauce.
9. Garnish with your choice of nuts or seeds, drizzle with sauce, and serve immediately. This is an optional step.

CONCLUSION

Sotteok is a tasty and indulgent dish of rice cake chewiness which is blended with the flavor of the sausage. The combination is really great. Whether you eat it at a street food market or you make it in your home, there is no doubt that these skewers will be nicely complimented with great enthusiasm by your family and friends. This is because they are not only delicious but also versatile. To really experience this delicious Korean specialty, preheat the grill to medium heat. This gives you the chance to taste the real flavor of these skewers.

FAQ’s