Korean Rice Cakes in Escondido, CA
Korean rice cakes and tteokbokki products are showing in the current catalog. Search “tteokbokki” in the locator for the live list and shelf location. Check the shape before buying: cylinders suit tteokbokki, while oval slices are made for tteokguk.
Asian Market La Sorpresa Barata
850 E. Valley Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92025
Quick definition
Chewy Korean cakes made primarily from pounded or processed rice; tteok is a large category with savory and sweet forms.
Korean Rice Cakes at a glance
- What it is
- Chewy Korean cakes made primarily from pounded or processed rice; tteok is a large category with savory and sweet forms.
- Also known as
- tteok, tteokbokki rice cakes, garaetteok
- Names you may see
- Korean: 떡 (tteok), the general rice-cake categoryKorean: 가래떡 (garaetteok), long cylindrical rice cakeKorean: 떡볶이 떡 (tteokbokki tteok), rice cakes cut for tteokbokki
- Cuisine
- Korean
- Typical forms
- Long cylinders, short tteokbokki sticks, oval soup slices, filled sweets, and frozen or refrigerated packs
- Common uses
- Tteokbokki, tteokguk, grilled rice cakes, skewers, soups, and desserts
- Where current matches are located
- Aisle 9 · Rice & Grains
What are Korean rice cakes?
Korean rice cakes, or tteok, are a wide family of chewy foods made from rice flour or pounded rice.
The form most shoppers mean when they ask for “tteokbokki rice cakes” is garaetteok: smooth white rice dough shaped into ropes and cut into cylinders. A closely related product is sliced on the diagonal into thin ovals for tteokguk, the soup traditionally eaten for Korean New Year. Their neutral rice flavor makes them a vehicle for broth, chile sauce, soy seasoning, and toasted edges.
Tteok also includes many sweet, steamed, coated, and filled rice cakes that do not belong in tteokbokki. Ingredient composition matters too. Many savory white rice cakes are made from non-glutinous short-grain rice, despite their sticky texture. Do not assume every tteok is sweet or that every package labeled “rice cake” has the same shape and cooking method.
What we carry
These matches come from the same inventory source as our in-store locator. Selection can change; use the locator for the complete current list and exact location.
Hanasia Korean Rice Cake
2.2 LB · 16 OZ
GroceryAisle 9 · Rice & GrainsSekero One Tteokbokki(rice Cake)
1.5 LB
GroceryAisle 9 · Rice & GrainsJinga Tteokbokki Rice Cake
2 LB
GroceryAisle 9 · Rice & GrainsSeoul Manim Tteokbokki Grilled Rice Cake
14 OZ
GroceryAisle 9 · Rice & GrainsSeoul Trading Tteokbokki Rice Cakes
1.1 LBS
GroceryAisle 9 · Rice & GrainsK Town Tteokbokki Rice Cakes
2.2 LBS
GroceryAisle 9 · Rice & Grains
Varieties and forms
Tteokbokki tteok
Short, thick cylinders designed for simmering in a spicy-sweet sauce. Fresh, refrigerated, frozen, and shelf-stable packages may require different preparation.
Garaetteok
Long cylindrical rice cakes that can be cut for tteokbokki, grilled, or skewered. Thickness varies.
Tteokguk tteok
Thin oval slices made to cook quickly in soup. They are not as substantial as tteokbokki sticks.
Sweet and filled tteok
Dessert and celebration rice cakes may contain sweet bean, sesame, nuts, or colorful coatings. Follow their own serving directions.
What can you cook with Korean rice cakes?
Match the cut to the dish and follow the package’s soaking or rinsing instructions. Separate stuck pieces before cooking so the sauce reaches every surface.
Tteokbokki
Rice-cake cylinders simmered in a glossy gochujang sauce, often with fish cake and scallion.
Tteokguk
A clear, savory soup with oval rice-cake slices, egg garnish, and often beef.
Gungjung tteokbokki
A soy-seasoned, non-spicy royal-court style with vegetables and beef.
Tteok꼬치 (rice-cake skewers)
Cooked rice cakes skewered, crisped, and brushed with a sweet-spicy glaze.
Korean tteok vs. Japanese mochi
Both are rice cakes, but the labels cover different traditions, rice preparations, shapes, and expected uses.
Savory Korean tteok
Often made from non-glutinous rice into firm cylinders or slices for sauce, soup, or grilling.
Japanese mochi
Traditionally made from pounded glutinous rice and commonly associated with soft cakes or sweets, though savory uses also exist.
Shopping rule
Buy by the named dish and shape, not only the English phrase “rice cake.” A dessert mochi will not replace tteokbokki sticks.
Do Korean rice cakes need soaking?
It depends on the package. Fresh or refrigerated tteok may only need rinsing and separation, while hard or frozen pieces may benefit from thawing or a brief soak.
Read the package first
Preparation differs by moisture level and manufacturing method. The maker’s directions are more reliable than one universal soak time.
Prevent sticking
Separate pieces before adding them and stir gently as the sauce comes to a simmer.
Serve promptly
Cooked rice cakes are best while hot and springy. As they cool, they can firm up; reheat gently with a little sauce or broth.
Related ingredients
Explore the full korean pantry
See related pantry staples, fresh ingredients, departments, and dishes on our Korean grocery guide.
Korean Rice Cakes FAQ
Where can I buy tteokbokki rice cakes in Escondido?
Search “tteokbokki” in Asian Market Escondido’s product locator. Current online matches include their in-store location at 850 E. Valley Pkwy.
Are Korean rice cakes gluten-free?
Plain rice cakes may contain only rice, water, and salt, but formulas and shared facilities vary. Check the exact package and sauce ingredients if gluten is a concern.
Why are my tteok still hard?
They may need more thawing, soaking, or simmering based on the product. Keep enough liquid in the pan and follow the package method rather than forcing high heat.
Can sliced tteokguk rice cakes be used for tteokbokki?
They can take the same sauce, but their thin ovals cook faster and produce a different bite. Cylindrical tteokbokki pieces give the familiar substantial chew.
Find korean rice cakes at Asian Market Escondido
850 E. Valley Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92025. Open 8:00 AM–8:00 PM, seven days a week. Free parking at the door, two minutes off I-15 at Valley Parkway.
- Address
- 850 E. Valley Pkwy, Escondido
- Hours
- 8:00 AM–8:00 PM · 7 days
- Phone
- (760) 735-9650