Hearty Korean Rice Cake Soup (Tteokguk) with Anchovy Broth
Hearty Korean Rice Cake Soup (Tteokguk) with Anchovy Broth
How to Make Delicious Tteokguk with Anchovy Broth | Tips for Perfectly Shaped Diamond-Cut Egg Garnish
Tteokguk is a comforting and easy-to-make dish that my family loves, so we often enjoy it not just during holidays but on regular days too. Today, I’ll share how to make delicious tteokguk using an anchovy and kelp broth, along with tips for beautifully plating the garnishes, especially the diamond-shaped egg crepe! I highly recommend making and enjoying your tteokguk both tasty and visually appealing. ♡ lol
Clear and Refreshing Anchovy-Kelp Broth- 1300ml water
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 green onion stalk
- 1 handful small dried anchovies
- 4 sheets dried kelp (about 5x5cm)
Main Tteokguk Ingredients- 460g tteokguk rice cakes
- 8 dumplings (frozen or fresh)
Seasoning for Flavor- 3 Tbsp Korean soup soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp salt (or adjust to taste)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
Colorful Egg Garnish- 3 eggs
- 1 pinch cornstarch (optional, for a smoother texture)
- 1 pinch salt
Finishing Garnishes- Toasted sesame seeds
- Crumbled roasted seaweed
- Shredded dried chili (for color)
- 460g tteokguk rice cakes
- 8 dumplings (frozen or fresh)
Seasoning for Flavor- 3 Tbsp Korean soup soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp salt (or adjust to taste)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
Colorful Egg Garnish- 3 eggs
- 1 pinch cornstarch (optional, for a smoother texture)
- 1 pinch salt
Finishing Garnishes- Toasted sesame seeds
- Crumbled roasted seaweed
- Shredded dried chili (for color)
- 3 eggs
- 1 pinch cornstarch (optional, for a smoother texture)
- 1 pinch salt
Finishing Garnishes- Toasted sesame seeds
- Crumbled roasted seaweed
- Shredded dried chili (for color)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
■ Making the Anchovy-Kelp Broth
First, in a pot, add a generous amount of water (about 1300ml) and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and add the half onion, half green onion stalk, the handful of anchovies (with insides removed), and the 4 sheets of kelp. Simmer for 20-30 minutes to extract a deep, refreshing broth. Note: Kelp can become bitter if boiled for too long, so it’s best to remove it after about 10 minutes.
Step 2
■ Creating Beautiful, Soft Egg Crepes (Diamond-Cut Plating Tip!)
Next, let’s make the egg garnish to make your tteokguk look extra special. Separate the yolks and whites of the 3 eggs into two separate bowls. Add a pinch of salt to each bowl, remove any stringy bits (chalaza), and whisk them gently. (Adding a pinch of cornstarch can make the crepes even smoother.)
Step 3
Heat a non-stick pan over low heat. Lightly oil the pan, then wipe it with a paper towel to create a very thin layer of oil. This prevents the crepe from sticking and burning, ensuring it fries thinly. Pour in the whisked egg whites thinly and evenly. As the edges begin to set, carefully slide a chopstick under the crepe to lift it slightly. Then, insert the chopstick under the center of the crepe and gently tilt the pan to flip it over. This method allows you to flip it without wrinkling, resulting in a neat egg white crepe. The key is to fry it as thinly as possible.
Step 4
Fry the egg yolk mixture in the same manner. Lightly oil the pan, wipe with a paper towel, and pour the yolk mixture thinly over low heat. Again, lift the edges with a chopstick once they start to set and carefully flip it over. Aim for evenly thin crepes of both colors.
Step 5
Once the egg crepes are fully cooked, let them cool completely before cutting. This makes them easier to slice neatly. Fold each yolk and white crepe in half lengthwise. Then, slice them into long, thin strips about 0.5cm wide. Finally, cut these strips diagonally at a 45-degree angle to create the diamond shape. They look absolutely beautiful as a garnish for tteokguk.
Step 6
Slice the white egg crepes into diamond shapes using the same method. Once you have diamond-shaped pieces of both colors, your tteokguk garnish is almost ready!
Step 7
Now, let’s prepare to cook the tteokguk. First, remove all the solids (onion, green onion, anchovies, kelp) from the anchovy-kelp broth and set aside about 1200ml of clear broth. This clean broth will enhance the depth of flavor in your tteokguk.
Step 8
Rinse the 460g of tteokguk rice cakes in cold water 2-3 times to remove any starchy residue and prevent them from sticking together. Bring the prepared 1200ml of clear broth back to a boil in a pot over high heat. Once boiling vigorously, add the 3 Tbsp of Korean soup soy sauce for the initial seasoning. Then, add the rinsed rice cakes and the 8 dumplings.
Step 9
As the rice cakes and dumplings float to the surface and begin to boil, add the 1/2 Tbsp of minced garlic. Taste the broth and add the 1/2 Tbsp of salt if needed to adjust the seasoning (adjust to your preference!). Let it simmer for another moment until the rice cakes are soft and the dumplings are fully cooked. Turn off the heat. Ladle the delicious tteokguk into bowls, and artfully arrange the diamond-shaped egg crepes, toasted sesame seeds, crumbled seaweed, and shredded chili on top for a perfect bowl of Tteokmandu-guk (rice cake and dumpling soup)!
