Some Delicious Chewy Rice Cake Soup To Welcome The Lunar New Year!
Recipe by www.maangchi.com
Rice cake soup, or Tteokguk, is a dish that is traditionally eaten during the Korean Lunar New Year, commonly known as Seollal. Although the exact origin of this tradition is unclear, the dish holds a deep meaning and is definitely not something a Korean family would miss this time of year. The shape of the rice cakes, both before and after slicing them, holds a deep meaning of wealth and prosperity. It was originally a very simple dish with rice cakes and a delicious broth, thus families of all social classes were able to enjoy rice cake soup on Seollal. In recent years, the dish has been elevated to include different garnishes such as eggs, seaweed, meat, and more. ice cakes can now be easily be bought, however, some families still prefer making the rice cakes from scratch.
Curious as to what this dish, that is deeply rooted in Korean culture, tastes like? Below is an easy step-by-step recipe that anyone can follow. Enjoy, and happy cooking!
The Rice Cake Soup Recipe
Ingredients (Makes 2-3 servings)
1 pound of sliced rice cakes soaked in cold water for 30 minutes and drained
7 cups of water
½ pound of beef (flank steak or brisket), chopped into small pieces
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large green onion (or 3 green onions), washed and sliced thinly and diagonally
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tablespoon of fish sauce (or soup soy sauce if preferred)
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 sheet of black seaweed paper
1 red pepper (optional), chopped
salt
Instructions
Put the water in a heavy pot, cover, and bring it to a vigorous boil over high heat for 12 to 15 minutes.
Add the beef and garlic and lower the heat to medium. Cover and let it boil for 20 to 25 more minutes, until a delicious broth is obtained.
Roast both sides of a sheet of black seaweed paper until it’s bright green and very crispy. Put it in a Ziploc bag and crush it by hand. Set aside.
Separate the two egg yolks from the whites and put them in separate bowls. Add a pinch of salt to each and mix with a fork. Remove the stringy chalaza from the yolks.
Add the cooking oil to a heated non-stick pan. Swirl the oil around so it covers the pan, and then wipe off the excess with a kitchen towel, leaving only a thin oily layer on the pan.
Turn off the heat. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the pan and tilt it so it spreads evenly and thinly. Let it cook on the hot pan for about one minute. Flip it over and let it sit on the pan for another minute, then take it off, slice it into thin strips and set it aside.
Add the rice cake to the boiling soup along with the fish sauce, salt, and the sliced green onion. Stir, cover, and let it cook for 7 to 8 minutes until all the rice cakes are floating. Pour the salted egg whites into the boiling soup and let it cook for about a minute.
Add the sesame oil, the ground black pepper, and the chopped green onion. Stir well. Then, remove from the heat and ladle the rice cake soup into individual serving bowls. Garnish with the chopped green onion, yellow egg strips, crushed seaweed, and red pepper according to taste.
Serve it right away with kimchi and other side dishes if preferred.