Soups & Stews
Mandu-guk (Dumpling Soup)
Make a quick anchovy and kelp stock, then drop in the dumplings straight from the freezer. Once they float, drizzle in beaten egg so it sets into soft ribbons, and finish with sliced scallions.
한국어로 보기 (Korean version)
Steps
- 1
Put the anchovies and kelp in the cold water and set over medium heat. When the water starts to boil, remove only the kelp. Let the anchovies steep for 10 minutes more, then take them out.
Remove the anchovy heads and dark guts first so the stock is not bitter.
- 2
Thinly slice the leek, and beat the egg with a pinch of salt.
- 3
Stir the soup soy sauce and garlic into the stock. When it boils again, add the frozen dumplings and boil for 6 minutes. They are done when they float and one cut open is hot all the way through.
Stirring right away tears the wrappers. Nudge the dumplings once with a ladle so they do not stick to the bottom.
- 4
Pour the beaten egg in a circle over the soup, leave it for 30 seconds, then stir once in a big sweep.
Stirring before the egg sets breaks it into tiny bits and clouds the broth.
- 5
Add the leek, boil 1 minute more, and season with salt and pepper.
Substitutions
| Instead of | Use | How |
|---|---|---|
| anchovy-kelp stock | 1,000 ml beef bone broth | Bone broth makes a milky, richer soup. If it is already seasoned, skip the soup soy sauce and adjust with salt after tasting. |
| some of the dumplings | 200 g sliced rice cakes (tteok) | Soak the rice cakes in cold water and add them with the dumplings to make tteok-mandu-guk. |
Storing leftovers
The wrappers soak up broth and quickly swell and split. For leftovers, lift out the dumplings and store them separately from the broth in the fridge for up to 2 days. To serve, bring the broth to a rolling boil until the egg is piping hot, then return the dumplings. Do not freeze dumplings that have already been boiled; the wrappers crack.
Serve with
Napa cabbage kimchi, kkakdugi (radish kimchi), and mu saengchae (spicy radish salad). The mild broth pairs well with a tangy, crunchy kimchi.
Making more or less
Five or six dumplings make one bowl. For each extra person, add 5 dumplings and 500 ml of stock, and use a wide pot so the dumplings do not stick together and burst.
Questions
How do I keep the dumplings from bursting?
Thawed dumplings get soggy and split easily. Add them frozen to boiling broth, and keep it at a steady medium bubble rather than a hard boil so they do not knock into each other.
Should I use meat or kimchi dumplings?
Either works. Meat dumplings give a clear, mild broth; kimchi dumplings turn it red and spicy. With kimchi dumplings, use a little less soup soy sauce.
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