Tteok Manduguk

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Rinse the sliced rice cakes under cold water, then soak them in fresh cold water for 10 minutes while you prepare the soup. This helps them cook evenly and prevents clumping. In a small bowl, beat the egg until smooth. Thinly slice the scallions and cut the nori into fine strips.

   250 g sliced Korean rice cakes (tteokguk-tteok)1 large egg20 g scallions, thinly sliced1 sheet (about 2 g) nori, cut into thin strips
2. 2

   Bring the beef broth to a gentle boil in a medium pot. Add the thinly sliced beef, minced garlic, light soy sauce, Korean soup soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5-6 minutes, skimming any foam, until the beef is just tender and the broth tastes savoury and clean.

   1 litre beef broth120 g lean beef brisket or soup beef, thinly sliced10 g garlic, minced20 ml light soy sauce10 ml Korean soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)2 g salt0.5 g ground black pepper
3. 3

   Drain the soaked rice cakes and add them to the simmering broth along with the mandu. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring gently once or twice so the rice cakes do not stick to the bottom. The rice cakes should become tender and slightly chewy, and the dumplings should be fully heated through and floating.

   250 g sliced Korean rice cakes (tteokguk-tteok)6 pieces (about 180 g) Korean mandu dumplings
4. 4

   Reduce the heat to low. Slowly drizzle in the beaten egg in a thin stream, then let it sit undisturbed for 20-30 seconds before gently stirring once to form soft ribbons rather than cloudy bits.

   1 large egg
5. 5

   Turn off the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil. Taste and adjust with a pinch more salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and finish with scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and nori strips. Serve immediately while the rice cakes are soft and the dumplings are hot.

   5 ml toasted sesame oil20 g scallions, thinly sliced4 g toasted sesame seeds1 sheet (about 2 g) nori, cut into thin strips

Origin & History

Tteokguk, a soup made with sliced rice cakes, is a traditional Korean dish strongly associated with Seollal, the Lunar New Year, symbolising a fresh start and the gaining of a year in age. Tteok Manduguk combines tteokguk with mandu, a variation especially popular in parts of northern Korea and in home cooking across the peninsula.