Non-Spicy Soy-Beef and Mushroom Royal Rice Cakes (Gungjung-tteokbokki)

Cut 100 g beef into thin strips, mix with one minced garlic clove, 2.5 ml soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp pepper and 2.5 ml sesame oil, then refrigerate while preparing vegetables. Wash equipment that touched raw meat.

Slice 2 cups mushrooms, 1/3 cup carrot, 1/2 cup green pepper, 1/2 cup red pepper and 1/2 cup onion. Thaw frozen rice cakes and soak thick or firm ones in water about five minutes.

Heat 15 ml oil in a large skillet over medium, add the stir-fry garlic clove and marinated beef, and stir-fry for two to three minutes until the meat starts to change color.

Add the prepared mushrooms, carrot, both bell peppers and onion and stir-fry for two minutes.

Add 450 g rice cakes, 120 ml water, 20 ml soy sauce, 15 ml rice syrup and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir and simmer on medium four to six minutes until the cakes are tender and the sauce is glossy.

Confirm the beef is cooked through. In this home adaptation, check the thickest meat strip reaches at least 71°C (160°F), cooking longer if needed. This is a conservative extra check for thin beef strips, not a claim that the original recipe specifies 71°C.

Turn off heat and toss in 5 ml sesame oil and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds. This version deliberately omits egg and pine-nut garnishes. Serve hot in four portions.