Rice Cake Mandu Soup (Tteok Mandu Guk)

Rice Cake Mandu Soup, known as "tteok mandu guk" in Korean, is a cherished recipe often enjoyed during special occasions like Lunar New Year. This flavorful soup combines chewy rice cakes (tteok) and savory dumplings (mandu) in a clear, nourishing broth. The ingredients include thinly sliced rice cakes, pork or beef dumplings, and a rich broth typically made from beef bones or anchovies.

The preparation involves simmering the broth to extract deep flavors, then adding the rice cakes and dumplings, ensuring they cook to the right consistency. Garnished with thinly sliced egg omelette, seaweed, and green onions, this soup is a blend of textures and tastes that represent the harmony and abundance celebrated in Korean culture. The technique of combining tender rice cakes and flavorful dumplings in a single soup makes it a beloved comfort food.

SoupBeefAsian

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Total Time: 45 min

Yield: 4 servings

A bowl of rice cake mandu soup topped with egg, seaweed, and scallions.

Ingredients

Broth

  • 8 oz. beef (brisket, flank, chuck, or loin)
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 2 Tbsp. soup soy sauce
  • salt & pepper to taste

Marinade

  • 2 tsp. regular soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 2 clove garlic minced
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper

Soup

  • 1½ cup rice cakes
  • 10-12 dumplings
  • 1 green onion, finely chopped
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • ½ sheet seasoned seaweed, cut into thin strips

Instructions

Prep

  1. 1.
    Dice beef into 1-inch cubes.
  2. 2.
    Combine soy sauce, seasame oil, minced garlic, and black pepper and marinate beef.
  3. 3.
    Add rice cakes to a bowl of cold water and soak for 10-15 minutes until soft.

Soup

  1. 4.
    Heat 2 tsp. of oil in a large pot.
  2. 5.
    Add beef to the pot and sauté until browned.
  3. 6.
    Add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil.
  4. 7.
    Reduce to a gentle boil over medium high heat for 15 minutes.
  5. 8.
    Clean the fat from the top of the broth with a strainer.
  6. 9.
    Season the broth with soy sauce, stock powder, salt, and pepper.
  7. 10.
    Add the rice cakes and dumplings to the broth and simmer for 5-8 minutes until the dumplings float and the rice cakes are soft.
  8. 11.
    Remove the soup from the heat.

Crêpe

  1. 12.
    Separate the yolk and whites from the eggs.
  2. 13.
    Beat the yolks and pour onto a hot non-stick skillet.
  3. 14.
    When the egg is set, flip it in the pan.
  4. 15.
    Remove from the pan when the crêpe is cooked. It should not be browned.
  5. 16.
    Repeat the process with the egg whites.
  6. 17.
    Roll up the crêpes and slice into thin strips.

Serve

  1. 18.
    Ladle broth with rice cakes and dumplings into a bowl.
  2. 19.
    Garnish with crêpe strips, chopped seaweed, and scallion greens.