Rinse the frozen tteokbokki rice cakes under cold water, then soak in warm water for about 10 minutes.

Drain and pat dry the firm tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes. Sear in a skillet with olive oil and salted butter for 5-7 minutes until golden-brown, then set aside.

Combine finely grated garlic and ginger with gochujang, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and water in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and set aside.

In the skillet used for tofu, reduce heat and add remaining salted butter. Once melted, sauté sliced shallots for 3-4 minutes until tender.

Drain soaked rice cakes and add to the skillet, gently stirring for 2-3 minutes until coated with the brown butter shallot mixture.

Pour the sauce mixture over the rice cakes, increasing the heat to a gentle simmer and stirring for 5-6 minutes until thickened.

Lower heat and stir in shredded kale until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Gently fold in the seared tofu.

Serve the Brown Butter Tteokbokki warm, garnished with scallions and white sesame seeds.