GF Vegan Cheese Tteokbokki (Nut-Free!)

If there is any disadvantage of traveling and living abroad, it's definitely the fact that authentic food doesn't taste the same everywhere else but where it's from. Wherever I go, I can't make Hungarian food taste the same. Doesn't matter how much I search elsewhere, Italian food is best in Italy, Spanish dishes are nothing like in Spain and when it comes to Asian food... don't even let me start on it. I used to live in Korea for a year when I was studying at university and I ate all their vegetarian dishes. I've been longing for them ever since. I found one restaurant in Budapest (called Arirang Restaurant) which was pretty close to the original Korean taste. It must be more than the ingredients. You need the local people and the whole atmosphere, and maybe even memories play a role in it...who knows.

I will never be able to recreate the heavenly cheese tteokbooki I used to eat in the small restaurants in Seoul, but this is a delicious take on the veganized cheesy version of tteokbokki. Tteok is a yummy rice cake Koreans use in various dishes, mainly soups. Tteokbokki is a popular street snack in Korea made with these chewy rice cakes smothered in a spicy, sweet and salty sauce.

There's actually two versions of cheese tteokbokki: one is made with the spicy sauce and then melting cheese over it. Or this version that rather resembles a Korean mac 'n cheese, replacing the macaroni with tteok. I made the latter tossing my tteoks in the cheesy sauce, naturally vegan (with potato and carrots), gluten-free and without any nuts, so everyone can enjoy them.

GF Vegan Cheese Tteokbokki (Nut-Free!)

Recipe Type: Appetizers Hearty Entrees

YIELDS 2 servings

PREP TIME 25 min

COOK TIME 10 min

TOTAL TIME 35 min

1 large peeled and chopped russet potato
2–3 peeled and chopped carrots
1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
3/4–1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
3 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp miso
1 tsp smoked paprika powder
900 g Korean rice cakes
to taste red pepper flakes
to top scallion, chopped
to top sesame seeds

Directions

1. Add the potatoes and carrots to a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, until fork tender.

2. Drain the potatoes and carrots and add them directly to the blender with the non-dairy milk, veggie broth, nutritional yeast, sesame oil, lemon juice, sea salt, paprika powder, corn starch, miso, salt, onion and garlic powder. Blend on high until silky smooth.

3. Over medium heat, add the cheese sauce to a pot. Stir the sauce constantly until thick and starts to slightly stretch, around 5 minutes. Reduce temperature to low heat. Stir in the rice cakes until all the pieces are covered.

4. Serve immediately and garnish with green onions, sesame seeds and red pepper flakes.

Also by Imola: Gigantes Antipasto Two Ways

Asian-Inspired Mango Avocado Ceviche

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Photo: Imola Toth