Curried Tteokbokki Skewers

Ingredients

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil2 tbsp
• Onion, chopped½ cup
• Red Bell Pepper, chopped¼ cup
• Garlic, minced3 cloves
• Roasted Cashews, soaked 1 hr, drained¼ cup
• Ground Cumin2 tsp
• Garam Masala1½ tsp
• Ground Turmeric¼ tsp
• Salt1 tsp
• Black Pepper½ tsp
• Gochujang1 tbsp
• Light Soy Sauce1 tbsp

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil1 tbsp
• Red Onion, chopped½ cup
• Red Bell Pepper, julienned2 tbsp
• Korean Green Chili or Jalapeño, sliced1
• Garraetteok (tube rice cakes), fresh or frozen17 oz (482g)
• Maple Syrup1 tsp
• Vegetable Broth1 cup

Method

1. Make the curry paste. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, cashews, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Sauté until onions begin to soften, 2–3 minutes.
2. Add gochujang. Stir in gochujang until vegetables are evenly coated. Add soy sauce to deglaze the pan.
3. Blend. Scrape the mixture into a high-powered blender and blend until a smooth paste. Add 1–2 tablespoons of water if needed to get the blade moving.
4. Cook the skewer veg. In the same skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil. Add red onion, julienned bell pepper, and green chili. Sauté until onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
5. Add rice cakes. Add rice cakes, curry paste, and maple syrup. Stir until all the rice cakes and vegetables are evenly coated with the paste.
6. Simmer. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until rice cakes are completely tender and the liquid has reduced and thickened, 7–10 minutes. Let cool enough to handle.
7. Skewer. Heat a grill pan or grill. Thread 5 rice cakes onto each skewer.
8. Grill and serve. Place skewers on a very hot grill for about 2 minutes per side to achieve a nice char. Serve with the curry sauce and vegetables from the pan ladled over the top.