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Tteok Mandu Guk (Korean Rice Cake and Dumpling Soup) with garnish of sliced seaweed, egg, and green onion
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5 from 1 vote

Tteok Mandu Guk 떡만둣국 (Korean Rice Cake and Dumpling Soup)

Tteok guk (Rice Cake Soup) is a popular Korean dish traditionally eaten on the New Year. My family always adds dumplings, making Tteok Mandu Guk, for a more hearty and delicious start to the holiday.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: Korean
Servings: 8
Calories: 399kcal
Author: Cynthia

Ingredients

  • 1 lb beef bones
  • ½ lb beef brisket or steak sliced thickly
  • 1 tbs vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 medium onion peeled and sliced in half
  • White end of 1 bunch of green onions
  • 8 cloves smashed garlic
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon dasida or beef bouillon
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1 lb rice cakes dduk or tteok
  • 24-32 small mandu (dumplings) fresh or frozen

Garnishes

  • 2 eggs
  • Thinly sliced remaining part of green onion
  • Thinly sliced or crumbled dried seaweed

Instructions

  • If possible, soak bones overnight in cold water to remove any excess blood from the marrow or the meat on the bones. You can soak them for about two hours for similar results, but the broth won't be quite as pure.
    After soaking, dry the bones and the meat thoroughly with a towel before moving on to the next step. The soaking process gives you a cleaner, lighter tasting broth at the end, but is totally optional. If you don’t soak the bones and meat you’ll end up with more of a Western-style dark and robust bone broth, rather than the lighter Korean broth - also delicious!
  • Sear beef bones and meat in 1 tbs vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over high heat until caramelized on all sides. Pour in cold water and add onion, green onion, and garlic and bring to a gentle boil. Skim off the scum that forms on the surfance with a spoon or ladle, and discard. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer, covered, about 1 ½ - 2 hours.
  • Meanwhile, work on your garnishes. If not purchased pre-sliced, thinly slice or cumble roasted seaweed. Set aside, away from the other garnishes, so they don't become damp.
  • Thinly slice your green onion and set aside. If you’re feeling fancy you can your cut green onions in thin strips and soak in ice water until they curl up. Fun!
  • To make the egg garnish, whisk the eggs with a teensy pinch of salt. Heat a lightly oiled small nonstick pan over medium low heat. Pour the eggs into a thin layer and cook each side, but do not brown the egg. Roll your cooked egg up like a crepe and allow to cool. This will make it easier to slice. When fully cooled, slice your egg into thin strips and set aside.
  • Soak rice cakes in cold water 20 minutes before cooking. This makes them easier to cook later.
  • With a skimmer or slotted spoon, remove the bones, meat, onions and garlic from the broth and discard. They've done their work! (Trust me, the meat has no flavor anymore. Take a bite. Yuck. Your pet might like it though!) Stir in salt and dasida or beef bouillon. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your desired salt level. Return the broth to a boil.
  • Add the rice cake slices and dumplings to the boiling broth, stirring gently to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom. Boil until the rice cakes turn very soft and the dumplings all rise to the surface, usually about 5 – 8 minutes.
  • Ladle the steaming soup into individual bowls and garnish with the egg strips, seaweed, and green onion. Good fortune and Happy New Year!

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 463mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg