Carbonara Tteokbokki — Bacon, Cream, No Gochujang

Ingredients

• 400 g garae-tteok, soaked and drained
• 120 g bacon or pancetta, diced
• 1/2 onion, sliced (optional)
• 3/4 cup stock or pasta water-style splash
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (or 2 egg yolks + 1/4 cup cream if you want it closer to pasta carbonara)
• 40 g parmesan or pecorino, 80 g low-moisture mozzarella (optional stretch)
• A lot of black pepper, pinch of salt only after tasting the bacon

Steps

1. Render bacon over medium heat until the fat is out and the edges are crisp. Spoon off extra fat if the pan is swimming — leave a slick.
2. Add onion if using, 1 minute. Add drained tteok and stock. Simmer 6–8 minutes until the cakes puff and pick up bacon fat.
3. Off the heat, stir in cream. If using yolks, temper them with a ladle of hot liquid in a mug, then stir back in off heat so they do not scramble.
4. Cheese and pepper last. Cover 1 minute if you want mozzarella stretch.
5. Serve immediately in the skillet. This pot waits worse than rose — the cakes drink the cream.