Cheese Tteok (Rice cake skewers)

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 5 min

Makes 4 skewers

Ingredients:

• 5 bamboo skewers

• 20 tteok (these are the small 2-inch cylindrical ones)

• 1/2 lb grillable cheese, like paneer or halloumi

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Sauce, optional but recommended

• 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk

• 1/2-1 tbsp warm water

Directions:

1. In a bowl of warm water, place the bamboo skewers to soak.

2. Bring a pot of water to boil on the stove. Separate and blanch the tteok in the water for 1-2 minutes or until softened. Put it in a bowl of cold water to stop them from cooking, strain, and pat dry on a clean paper towel.

3. Cut the cheese to similar-sized rectangles as the tteok (about 2 x 1/2 inch).

4. Take the skewer from the water and pat dry.

5. Skewer the cheese and tteok by piercing them in the center. Alternate between the cheese and tteok until you have 4 tteok and 3 cheese pieces on each skewer.

6. Heat a non-stick pan on medium-low heat. Add the unsalted butter and skewers into the pan and cook for 2 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. Flip the skewer over with tongs or a spatula and cook for another 2 minutes or until golden brown. (Note: if the pan is too small for all the skewers at once, do them in batches so they're not overcrowded).

7. Transfer the skewers onto a plate or into a paper cup (this is how they serve them from street vendors in Korea) and drizzle over a bit of the sauce.

8. Make sure to serve them immediately while warm. Enjoy!

Sauce:

Whisk to combine the sweetened condensed milk and warm water. Start with the lesser amount and old add as much as needed to make a smooth drizzle.

Note: You can also use a drizzle of honey in place of the sauce if you prefer.