Tteok galbi wanja is now a hugely popular street food. The name means ‘rice cake ribs’ – the traditional dish was made by cutting and mincing beef, then moulding it into the shape of rice cakes around the rib bones. Today Beef Meatball Skewers (Tteok Galbi Wanja) is made more simply on skewers.
Beef Meatball Skewers (Tteok Galbi Wanja) Recipe
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
800g (1 lb 12 oz) chuck steak or minced (ground) beef
75g (1⁄2 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
125g (1⁄2 cup) mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
Marinade
60ml (1⁄4 cup) soy sauce
2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar
2 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons grated nashi or asian pear
1⁄2 onion, finely diced
2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2cm (3⁄4 inch) piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon gochugaru
1 tablespoon gochujang
Method:
If you are using chuck steak, cut the meat into thin strips, then again crossways into smaller pieces. Rock the knife blade back and forth until the meat resembles a coarse paste. Skip this step if using minced beef. Transfer the beef to a large bowl.
To make the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour the marinade over the beef and, using your hands, knead the beef for about 3 minutes, until well combined and sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
Soak 12 bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. Prepare a charcoal grill and wait for the coals to die down to a coating of white ash – this will take about an hour.
Meanwhile, roll a heaped tablespoon of the beef mixture into a golf ball–sized meatball. Put the flour in a bowl and dredge the meatball in flour, shaking off any excess. Transfer to a baking tray. Repeat until all the beef mixture is used. Thread three meatballs onto each bamboo skewer.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. In small batches, fry the meatballs for 3–4 minutes, until thoroughly cooked and slightly charred on the outside. Transfer the meatballs to the charcoal grill and cook, turning occasionally, for 4–5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, garlic and dill pickle juice in a small bowl and mix well.
Transfer the meatball skewers to a serving plate and drizzle with the mayonnaise. Serve immediately.
Cook Korea! by Billy Law, published by Smith Street Books, AUD$49.99 / NZD $54.99, published 4 March 2025.
Food photographer: Daniel Herrmann-Zoll
