INSTANT NOODLES WITH SPICY RICE CAKES AND FISH CAKES (Ra-bokki)
Ra-bokki is a combination of ramyun (Korean for ramen noodles) and dduk bokki, spicy-sweet and saucy stir-fried rice cakes, two of the most famous and popular Korean street foods. Together, they’re like a little bit of dirty naughty eating for me, which I love. You can use any brand of ramyun/ ramen noodles, but I’m partial to Shin Ramyun.
Ingredients
Serves 4–6
- 2–3 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and halved or quartered lengthways
- Handful of spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle, to serve
- 15 large dried anchovies (myulchi), head and gutted
- 1 (10 cm/4 in long) piece dried kelp (dashima)
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced on an angle
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
- 35 g (11⁄4 oz) gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 300 g (101⁄2 oz) chopped Chinese or Korean cabbage
- 1 pack instant ramyun/ramen noodles, seasoning pack discarded
- 450 g (1 lb) 5 cm (2 in) long cylindrical rice cakes (dduk), soaked in cold water for 15–30 minutes and then drained
- 200 g (7 oz) fish cake sheets (eomuk), cut into triangular pieces about 7.5 cm (3 in) long
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
Method
- In a medium saucepan, combine the anchovies, kelp and 1.2 litres (5 pints) water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Pass the anchovy stock through a fine mesh sieve into a large, wide, deep frying pan and discard the solids.
- Return the stock to a simmer. Add the carrots, onion, garlic, chilli paste, sugar, chilli flakes and soy sauce, stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the cabbage and noodles and simmer for a further 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the noodles are slightly softened.
- Add the rice cakes and fish cakes and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are just tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Drizzle with the sesame oil, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and nestle the eggs in the sauce. Serve immediately, topped with the spring onions.
