Hearty Beef and Rice Cake Soup (Seollal Style)
Hearty Beef and Rice Cake Soup (Seollal Style)
How to Make Delicious Beef and Rice Cake Soup: A Perfect Seollal Recipe
This is a rich and savory beef and rice cake soup (Tteokguk) perfect for your Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year) ancestral rites table or for sharing with family. Its comforting flavors and satisfying textures make it a quintessential holiday dish.
Main Ingredients- 1kg Tteokguk rice cakes (rice cake soup slices)
- 2 liters water
- 300g beef for soup (brisket or soup meat)
- 1.5 Tbsp soup soy sauce (Guk-ganjang)
- 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce (for umami)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Beef Garnish Seasoning- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp regular soy sauce (Jin-ganjang)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- A little chopped green onion (for garnish)
Egg Garnish- 2 eggs
- A little cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp regular soy sauce (Jin-ganjang)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- A little chopped green onion (for garnish)
Egg Garnish- 2 eggs
- A little cooking oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Soak the rice cakes for Tteokguk in cold water for at least 30 minutes until softened. If using brown rice cakes, they offer a wonderfully chewy texture. Once softened, drain them well.
Step 2
Rinse the beef for soup under cold water to remove any blood. Place the beef chunk(s) in a pot, add 2 liters of water, and bring to a boil. Once the beef is cooked, carefully remove it from the pot and let it cool slightly. (Avoid overcooking; it should be tender but not mushy.)
Step 3
Once the cooked beef is cool enough to handle, divide it in half. Slice one half into bite-sized pieces (about 1cm thick) to add back into the soup pot. Slice the other half into longer, thinner strips for the garnish.
Step 4
In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a pinch of salt. Lightly grease a non-stick pan with cooking oil and wipe off excess with a paper towel. Over low heat, pour a thin layer of egg mixture to create an egg crepe (jidan). Once cooked, let it cool slightly, then thinly slice it into strips or cut into small diamond shapes for garnish.
Step 5
Add the softened rice cakes, the bite-sized cooked beef, minced garlic, and a pinch of black pepper to the simmering soup broth (or the pot with water and beef). Bring back to a gentle boil and cook until the rice cakes are tender.
Step 6
As the rice cakes cook, stir in 2 Tbsp of anchovy sauce for added depth of flavor. Then, add 1.5 Tbsp of soup soy sauce. Be mindful not to add too much soup soy sauce initially, as it can darken the broth significantly. It’s best to adjust the final seasoning with salt.
Step 7
In a separate small bowl, combine the long strips of cooked beef with the garnish seasoning ingredients: 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 1 Tbsp regular soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds. Mix well to coat the beef. (You can also add a small amount of chopped green onion here if desired.)
Step 8
Ladle the hot Tteokguk into serving bowls. Arrange the seasoned beef garnish, egg garnish, and chopped green onion attractively on top. For Seollal ancestral rites, serve it beautifully as is. When serving to family, consider adding toppings like roasted seaweed flakes (gim) for extra flavor. Enjoy your delicious and comforting homemade Tteokguk!
