i made tteokbokki for the first time today but it was sweeter than i thought it was going to be. i did use paprika instead of gochugaru so maybe that was the issue? i just want a more spicy taste and wasnt a fan of the sweetness. i also have an indian chili powder that i think is spicier so should i use that in the same amount? thanks!!
[recipe i used](https://youtu.be/aGKMwZS6zCM), just used store bought tteokbokki instead of homemade though, and didn’t add sausages or noodles.
by aninterestingone
4 Comments
Paprika is barely even spicy to me, it’s very different from gochugaru.
You can also add less sugar into the sauce if you prefer
I once saw a clip of a chef explaining that the taste of tteokbokki comes from gochugaru and *not* gochujang. Blew my mind, and when I adjusted my recipe to have more gochugaru than before, I was even more shocked to find out that it actually tasted a *lot* better.
I would not substitute the gochugaru. That alone should kick up the spiciness a notch.
I believe that in the United States at least, what we call paprika (or the paprika most widely available in the spice isle at the grocery store) is dried ground sweet peppers, like bell peppers. So they have really no capsaicin at all. It’s got a rather sweet flavor to it, and isn’t spicy. (This is likely different in other countries so if that’s the case here ignore me lol.) So that’s likely why your tteokbokki wasn’t spicy enough for you. I’d get gochugaru and maybe try cutting the sugar down a bit the next time you make it? You could always taste it and add more if you think it needs it.
I’d definitely try to get gochugaru. Paprika has no spice, I usually only use it for color in my cooking.