4 cups of water
7 large size dried anchovies, with heads and intestines removed*
6 x 8 inch dried kelp
2 tablespoons hot pepper paste (Gochujang)
1 tablespoon sugar or maple syrup
1 pound of cylinder shaped rice cakes (from the frozen or refrigerated section of the store)
1 cup of fresh spinach (optional)
*If you keep anchovies in the freezer, move them to the refrigerator the night before making this recipe so that you will be able to slice them open the next day.
In a large pot, add the water, dried anchovies, and dried kelp. Boil, uncovered, for 15 minutes over medium high heat.
Remove the anchovies and kelp from the pot and discard.
To the pot, add the hot pepper paste and sugar or maple syrup and mix well. Then add the rice cakes and, if desired, the spinach.
Bring the mixture back to a boil and, stirring gently with a wooden spoon, continue to cook until the rice cakes turn soft and the sauce thickens and looks shiny (if rice cakes are frozen, about 10 to 15 minutes; if refrigerated, about 5 minutes). If the rice cakes are still not soft enough, add a little more water and continue stirring until softened. Serve immediately.
Note: this recipe was modified to be much less spicy and it omits the fish cakes and hard boiled eggs that are often added to the dish.