This is tteokgalbi (떡갈비), a dish that literally translates to rice cake (“tteok”) ribs (“galbi”). The name is a bit of a misnomer, though: rice cakes are actually not used in the dish. Instead, the name is a reference to how the meat patties are kneaded and shaped like rice cakes are.
It’s a dish that is a part of Korean royal cuisine. Back in the day, it was considered not proper for the king to eat galbi off the bone so instead, the meat would be separated from the bone, minced, and formed into patties for easy eating.
Though galbi is getting more and more popular outside of Korea, tteokgalbi is still relatively unknown. But it shouldn’t be: it’s delicious and, apart from mincing the meat, is a fairly easy recipe to make. (Although not traditional, you could substitute the expensive short rib cut for ground beef or pork to save time and money). I finished mine with a glaze consisting of soy sauce, honey, and Gotham Grove ’s amazing sesame seed oil (btw I’m not paid to say that lol …just love their products).
If you’re interested in making it, check out the recipe on my friend Hyosun ‘s website!
