Tteokbokki, Korean spicy rice cake

Over medium-high heat, put 4 cups of water in a pan.

Remove the heads and guts of 7 dried anchovies; add them with the dried kelp.

Boil about 15 minutes without the lid so the fishy smell evaporates.

Cut the rice cake to about three and a half inches.

Mix 1/3 cup hot pepper paste, 1 tbsp hot pepper flakes and 1 tbsp sugar for the sauce.

Cut 3 green onions about two and a half inches long, halving thick ones lengthwise; keep some for garnish. Shell the hard boiled eggs.

Taste the stock; take out the kelp and anchovies.

Add the rice cake and the sauce and stir gently; add the green onions, the fish cake if using, and the eggs.

Keep stirring gently until the rice cake absorbs the broth and the broth thickens and turns shiny.