Optional: Soak kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms in 5 cups of water for 30 minutes.
In a medium pot, combine all the stock ingredients. Cover with a lid and boil for 10 minutes, then remove the kombu. Let simmer for at least 20 minutes (the longer, the better).
Drain and set aside to cool before storing in clean jars/bottles. The cooked ingredients can still be eaten, so save them for next time.
Cook tteokbokki
In a small bowl, combine gochujang, sugar, gochugaru and soy sauce. Slice the tofu into triangles, or whatever shape you like. Pat dry with paper towels.
Add oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Fry the tofu until golden brown on both sides, and set aside. Turn off the heat and let the oil cool slightly.
Once the oil has cooled, add in vegetable stock, tteokbokki and sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add in pan-fried tofu and cabbage, cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
Garnish with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
The Korean vegetable stock will keep in the fridge for 1 week. Freeze to store longer.Stock is a lot more flavourful but you can substitute it for water.Refer to the rice cake packaging for instructions. Many recipes ask you to presoak the rice cakes, but the ones I used cook quickly so I skipped it.Feel free to adjust the ratios of the sauce. I personally like it a bit savoury. For a sweeter version, add more sugar or reduce the amount of soy sauce.This recipe is adapted from Seonkyoung Longest.
Keyword gochujang, rice cake, spicy, street food, sweet