50 World Foods to Try Before You Die
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Tteokbokki - Korea
Tteokbokki are spicy stir-fried Korean rice cakes, seasoned with gochujang (chili paste) and often served with fish cakes, boiled eggs and scallions. It's one of the most popular snacks in Korea and is usually found at snack bars or street food stalls. Many varieties of tteokbokki exist, with additions such as seafood, noodles, short ribs and various sweet and/or savory sauces. There's even a carbonara-style flavor, with a cream sauce and bacon base in place of gochujang and fish cakes. You can find both soup-like and dry varieties of the dish as well.
Where to eat: Get your tteokbokki fix 24/7 at Nanumi Tteokbokki in Seoul. This local institution has been drawing crowds of people for decades and almost always has a line, though the wait is worth it.