This dish is considered staple street food in Korea, and especially popular among children and students. Dduk bokki literally translates to stir-fried rice cakes. The rice cakes are cooked in a spicy, tangy, and sweet sauce, along with fish cakes and hard-boiled eggs. Even though it's one of the most popular dishes in Korea, I actually didn't care for it too much when I was younger. However, as I grew older and Korean food became more of a hard-to-access luxury in downtown Baltimore, unknowingly I started to crave this dish more often. Ddukbokki lends itself to many variations, and I've had versions with seafood, pork belly, or sausage-- the first time I had cheese ddukbokki, it was life-changing. The restaurant served it with browned, melted cheese, hot from the broiler-- it was a revelatory moment. Feel free to add or omit the cheese, or add some bacon or sausage for extra flavor. Traditionally, ketchup isn't used as one of the ingredients for the sauce, but I find that it imparts a nice tangy flavor and also enhances the color beautifully. Enjoy!
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