Rapokki: Spicy noodles with rice dumplings

Ingredients:

• 0.5 cups dried anchovies (about 30 g)
• 2 pieces of kombu, 5 cm each.
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons gochujang paste (Korean hot paste)
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp gochukaru (Korean chili pepper)
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
• 1 tbsp beef broth paste
• 3 cups tteok (Korean rice cakes; about 500 g)
• 1 package (80g) of instant noodles, no seasoning packet needed
• 1 1/2 cups Asian fish cakes, cut into 2.5cm triangles
• 3 green onions, cut into 2cm pieces.
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise
• Toasted sesame seeds, for serving

Preparation:

1. Combine the dried anchovies, kombu, onion, and 4 cups cold water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, then strain the broth into a larger saucepan (discarding the solids). Bring the broth to a boil, add the corn syrup, gochujang paste, brown sugar, gochukara, garlic, and beef broth, and stir. Add the tteok and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the broth thickens and reduces by two-thirds, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and cook the instant noodles until very tender, 2-3 minutes. Drain and set the noodles aside.
3. Once the broth has evaporated, add the fish cakes, noodles, and green onions. Simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Garnish with egg halves and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
   
   Note
   
   This dish has a thick sauce that coats the tteok (rice dumplings) well. It's a bit runny at first, but it thickens as it sits..