If you love Asian food, no wonder you have a crush on Tteokbokki, the famous Korean dish. The versatility of Tteokbokki has helped it gain fans from all over the world. However, cooking and reheating Asian food can be a nightmare for those who are dealing with it for the first time. If you are one of those, this article on “how to reheat Tteokbokki” will help you. Let’s get started.
[wpsm_toplist]
What is Tteokbokki?
In Korean, Tteokbokki means stir-fried rice cake, and it is well-known street food. There are tons of variations to it and even though you are completely new to Tteokbokki, making it in your house isn’t the hardest. It has a spicy, and a wee bit of a sweet taste and Tteokbokki has a chewy note to it as well.
The main ingredient of Tteokbokki is rice, and the rice cake is made using short-grain rice. In addition, you will find vegetables such as cabbage, scallions and garlic in the dish.
Most importantly, there is Tteokbokki sauce, and it is what adds flavors to it. The sauce usually consists of ingredients like soy sauce, chili (Korean red chili paste is the ideal candidate) and sugar. That said, as we mentioned, there are many variations of Tteokbokki, and the ingredients may differ from one to another.
The appearance of Tteokbokki is more or less similar to pasta, and the same can be said regarding its texture. Does this suggest reheating Tteokbokki is similar to pasta? Our answer would be yes. If you have been wondering how to reheat Korean Tteokbokki, you can do it as you do with pasta.
Hold on! We are not finished yet. It is easier said than done, my friend. There are certain frozen Tteokbokki instructions that you need to follow in order to be on the right side of things at the end. So, keep scrolling for now.
Is Tteokbokki Okay To Reheat?
Before we learn how to reheat leftover Tteokbokki, let’s take a second and figure out whether reheating leftover Tteokbokki sauce and its other ingredients is a wise thing to do. Yeah, there should not be an issue in reheating Tteokbokki leftovers and using them as long as you store them properly after use.
However, we highly recommend you eat it quickly and minimize the chances of storing it for later use. The best Tteokbokki taste can be relished when they are freshly cooked, and the reheated version might not have the original taste even when you have stored it as well as you should.
We are not discouraging you from preserving or reheating Tteokbokki or raising our hands over its taste. Actually, it’s the same theory for almost all dishes, isn’t it?
Anyway, let us explain to you how to store Tteokbokki.
How to Store Tteokbokki?
All you have to do is put the leftover Tteokbokki in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Make sure not to leave it unattended under room temperature for much time after your consumption. If you stick with those points, you should be able to preserve the leftover Tteokbokki for a maximum of three days in the fridge.
When kept in the refrigerator, Tteokbokki will get hardened over time, making you think about how to make Tteokbokki soft again, which is pretty normal given its texture. In addition, the sauce will get absorbed into the pasta-like Tteokbokki pieces. This is something you don’t want to let happen because once the sauce is absorbed, it will be impossible for you to separate it when you reheat Tteokbokki.
The best thing to do to prevent it from happening is to store sauce and Tteokbokki pieces separately in two airtight containers. We’ll let you know how to make Tteokbokki soft again in a bit.
Moreover, don’t ever try to freeze the cooked Tteokbokki. Simply, it doesn’t work. You will never get the taste or the texture of it once you freeze Tteokbokki. However, if you are a die-hard fan of it and know how to cook Tteokbokki, then there is an option for you to freeze it.
Yes, freezing the uncooked Tteokbokki rice cake is possible. You can expect uncooked rice Tteokbokki to last at least three months. When freezing, make sure you get rid of as much air as possible from the freezer bag. If not, they will suffer from freezer burn.
How to Reheat Tteokbokki?
Let us explain three easy methods to reheat and make instant Tteokbokki. Remember to comment on your favorite method in the comment section below!
How to Reheat Tteokbokki on the Stove?
Considering the texture of Tteokbokki, reheating can be a slightly daunting task, and the temperature should always be under your control. Further, let the pieces sit at room temperature for some time and separate them as much as you can if you find them stuck together. However, they will eventually get separated if you follow the correct process, so don’t damage them!
Then, add the Tteokbokki pieces and sauce into a pan and some water just to cover the bottom of the pan. The point is to prevent Tteokbokki from sticking to the bottom when reheating. So, make sure not to add water no more than that.
Then reheat it on low heat, stirring gently throughout the process. Once the pieces are fully separated from each other, and the sauce is thickened, you can stop reheating and serve.
How to Reheat Tteokbokki in Microwave?
If you want a faster method, you can use the microwave for the job. However, when talking about a topic such as how to soften rice cakes, you hardly see the microwave on the list because microwaves don’t often provide you with the results you expect simply because of their mechanism.
Although we are not recommending using the microwave to reheat Tteokbokki, this is how it should be done.
Put the Tteokbokki pieces into a microwave-safe pan. Then as you did with the previous method, add a small amount of water into it (sprinkling would be the correct word to use!!). Then microwave it for two 10-second intervals.
According to our experience, the end result would be hot pieces of Tteokbokki outside and cool inside. Yes, it takes less time, but we cannot guarantee the results.
How to Reheat Tteokbokki Air Fryer?
Reheating Tteokbokki in an air fryer also comes with the previously mentioned hazard, but another method you put into work if you are seeking an on-the-go method to soften Tteokbokki. In addition, the process is super-easy, unlike the stove method.
As we said, keeping the temperature under control is the deciding factor when reheating rice cakes. You have to reheat your air fryer to 300°F as the first step.
Then, add the Tteokbokki along with the sauce. Now, set your air fryer’s timer for four minutes and reheat Tteokbokki. Finally, serve hot and enjoy.
Conclusion
If you ask which method is the best way to reheat Tteokbokki, our answer would be the stove method. Yes, it does tend to take more time compared to the other two methods and involves a considerable amount of manual work.
That said, you literally cannot expect similar results when using an air fryer or microwave in particular to reheat your leftover Tteokbokki. Considering all these, we would advise buying or cooking the right amount of Tteokbokki you want and reducing the chances of leftovers. If you need more info regarding “how to reheat Tteokbokki,” we are open to help you. Have a great day!
