Gochujang Goulash with Korean Rice Cakes

Method

1. Cut the beef into 2.5 cm cubes and pat dry. Finely chop the onion and crush the garlic. Cut the potato into 2 cm cubes, the pepper into bite-sized pieces and roughly chop the tomato. If the rice cakes are hard, soak them in lukewarm water for 10 minutes and separate them.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy 20 cm pot on medium heat and cook the onion for 8 min, until soft and pale golden.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1½ tbspLarge onion 1

   medium heat

3. Turn up to medium-high heat, add the beef and stir for 6 min, until the outside has changed colour all over. Add the garlic and caraway and stir for 30 seconds more.

   Add in this stepBeef brisket or chuck 300 gGarlic cloves 3Caraway seeds ¼ tsp

   medium-high heat

4. Turn down to medium-low heat, add the gochujang, paprika and gochugaru and stir for 1 minute so the oil turns red and fragrant. Gochujang and paprika catch easily, so keep scraping the bottom. Add the tomato, soy sauce and water; once it boils, turn down to low heat, cover and simmer for 55 min, until the beef is tender.

   Add in this stepGochujang (Korean chilli paste) 1½ tbspSweet paprika 2 tspGochugaru (Korean chilli flakes) 1 tspMedium tomato 1Soy sauce 1½ tspWater 650 ml

   medium-low heat→low heat

5. Add the potato and pepper and simmer on medium-low heat for 15 min more, until the potato is tender. Stir now and then so nothing sticks.

   Add in this stepMedium potato 1Bell pepper 1

   medium-low heat

6. Add the rice cakes and cook uncovered on medium heat for 4 min, stirring, until they are soft and chewy and the sauce has thickened enough to coat them in a glossy layer. If it gets too thick, add a splash of water.

   Add in this stepCylindrical Korean rice cakes (tteok) 120 g

   medium heat

7. Scatter over plenty of sliced spring onion and the sesame seeds and serve hot.

   Add in this stepSpring onions 1Toasted sesame seeds 1 tsp