YUZU GOCHUJANG RICE CAKES WITH KABOCHA SQUASH & BLISTERED SHISHITOS

I saw this dish at Her Name is Han in K-Town, was inspired by the flavor profiles, and took a picture of the menu in hopes of replicating it one day. We didn’t actually order the dish so I have no idea what it tastes like there or if I did it any justice, but I think this came out decently!

Ingredients

• 1 pack rice cakes

• 1 pack shishito peppers

• 1 kabocha squash

• 2-3 Tbsp gochujang (Korean red chili paste)

• 2-3 Tbsp yujacha (yuzu tea marmalade)

• 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)

• 1 Tbsp soy sauce

• 2 Tbsp sugar

• 1 Tbsp sesame oil

• 1 Tbsp minced garlic

• Olive oil

• Salt

For rice cakes: Add rice cakes to a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 30 minutes, or while you prep kabocha and shishitos.

For kabocha: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Microwave whole kabocha squash for 2 minutes to soften outer skin. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and discard. Cut squash into slices about 1/4 inch in thickness. Coat in olive oil and add to sheet pan, then season with salt. Roast in oven for 15-18 minutes, flipping slices halfway through.

For shishitos: While kabocha is roasting, wash shishito peppers and let dry. Add peppers to a dry pan over medium-low heat. Cook while turning occasionally until peppers are soft with charred sides. Sprinkle with salt while hot.

For sauce/to finish: Combine gochujang, yujacha, gochugaru, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and garlic in a bowl and adjust to taste (see Notes). In a pan over medium heat (can immediately re-use pan used for blistered shishitos), add pre-soaked, drained rice cakes and sauce. Add ~1/2 cup water to dilute and help with adhesion/mixing. Cook until rice cakes are soft. Plate rice cakes and add kabocha slices and shishito peppers.

Notes: The amount of gochujang, yujacha, and gochugaru that you use will depend on your taste preference and spice tolerance. Gochujang comes in a variety of heat levels, so be cautious when buying and adding to recipe. You can omit the gochugaru if you don’t want added heat. I used the yujacha to replace the corn syrup/additional sugar that is sometimes used in more traditional tteokboki recipes. If you want the yuja flavor to be more pronounced go with 3 Tbsp, but always better to start low and add as needed to taste. You can use additional sesame oil to add some of the savory notes back in if you use too much yujacha but don’t want more pepper heat.