Soups & Stews
Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup)
Sauté the beef in sesame oil, add water to make a clear broth, and add the soaked rice cakes at the end, cooking them only until they float. Top with thin strips of yolk and white egg crepe and seaweed.
한국어로 보기 (Korean version)
Steps
- 1
Soak the rice cakes in cold water for 20 minutes, then drain in a sieve.
Frozen rice cakes stick together, so separate them one by one in the water.
- 2
Blot the beef with a paper towel, slice it thin into bite-size pieces, and season with 1/2 Tbsp soup soy sauce, the garlic, and pepper. Slice the leek on the diagonal and snip the seaweed into thin strips with scissors.
- 3
Separate the egg and beat the yolk and white in two bowls. Wipe a pan with a thin film of oil and cook each into a thin crepe over low heat, let cool, and slice into thin strips.
A hot pan browns the egg, so wipe off excess oil with a paper towel and keep the heat low.
- 4
Heat the sesame oil in a pot over medium heat and sauté the beef for 2 minutes until the outside is cooked. Pour in the water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, skimming off the foam.
- 5
Add the soaked rice cakes and boil for 5 minutes, until they float and turn soft. Season with the remaining soup soy sauce and salt.
- 6
Add the leek and boil 1 minute more. Ladle into bowls, top with the egg strips and seaweed, and sprinkle with pepper.
Substitutions
| Instead of | Use | How |
|---|---|---|
| beef broth | 1,200 ml anchovy-kelp stock | For a meatless version, cook the rice cakes in anchovy stock and season with soup soy sauce. Egg strips and seaweed are plenty as toppings. |
| egg crepe strips | 1 beaten egg | If you have no time for the crepe, drizzle a beaten egg into the soup when you add the leek, let it set briefly, and stir once. |
| some of the rice cakes | 4 to 6 frozen dumplings | Halve the rice cakes and add dumplings at the same time to make tteok-mandu-guk. Boil until the dumplings float. |
Storing leftovers
Rice cakes keep swelling in the broth until they turn mushy, and they harden as they cool. If you expect leftovers, set aside some broth before adding the rice cakes and refrigerate it for up to 2 days; when you eat it, bring the broth to a rolling boil until piping hot and add fresh rice cakes. Freeze unused rice cakes in single-meal portions, then soak them in cold water and use them right away.
Serve with
Napa cabbage kimchi, dongchimi (radish water kimchi), and japchae. The clear, mild broth goes well with a tangy kimchi.
Making more or less
Plan on about 200 g of rice cakes per person. For more people, increase the rice cakes and water in the same ratio, and add the soup soy sauce a little at a time, tasting as you go.
Before you cook
- For young children and older adults, cut the rice cakes small so they are not a choking hazard.
Questions
How do I keep the rice cakes from getting mushy?
Soaking them too long or simmering them too long in the broth makes the outside break down. Add them only after the beef broth has fully developed, and cook them just before serving.
Why does my tteokguk broth turn cloudy?
Starch from the surface of the rice cakes dissolves into the broth. Rinse the soaked rice cakes once in cold water before adding them, and skim the foam while the beef simmers for a clearer soup.
Can I make it with beef bone broth?
Yes. After sautéing the beef, pour in bone broth (sagol) instead of water for a milky, rich tteokguk. If the broth is already seasoned, taste before adding much soup soy sauce.
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