Banchan
Tteok-jorim
Braised Rice Cakes in Soy Sauce
Chewy cylindrical rice cakes braised in a savory-sweet soy sauce with vegetables.
Tteok-jorim, the soy-braised version of Korean rice cake, offers a milder and more complex alternative to the ubiquitous tteokbokki, trading the fiery red gochujang sauce for a deep, amber-colored soy glaze that allows the rice cake's own subtle sweetness and satisfying chew to come forward. Cylindrical garae-tteok rice cakes are briefly pan-fried or boiled until they soften slightly, then braised in a soy sauce reduced with sugar, garlic, and sesame oil until each piece is glossed in the dark, caramelized sauce. Vegetables — typically carrot, onion, and green onion — are added for color and sweetness, and a scatter of sesame seeds completes the presentation. Tteok-jorim is a classic Lunar New Year and holiday banchan, when tteok (rice cake) in all forms is central to the table, symbolizing prosperity and renewal. Its chewy texture and mild sweetness make it a particular favorite among children, and it appears frequently in Korean lunchboxes as a filling and satisfying carbohydrate banchan alongside rice.
✦ Tastypinch tip
The cylindrical rice cakes roll easily — press one side against the bowl to stabilize before gripping.
How to eat it
- Pick up a rice cake piece and eat in one bite for the full chewy experience.
- Eat alongside rice and protein-based banchan.
Common mistakes
- Letting them cool completely, which makes the rice cakes hard rather than pleasantly chewy.
Where to try it
- Korean holiday catering
- Traditional Korean rice cake shops (tteokjip)
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