Rice Cake soup

KOREAN - TTEOKGUK

Tteokguk, or Korean rice cake soup, is at the center of the Korean celebration of the lunar new year, Seollal. Although the origins of the recipe are unknown, it began to make appearances in Korean literature in the 19th century. Since then, tteokguk has grown in popularity, and is now consumed throughout the year.

5 minutes PREP TIME INGREDIENTS 35 minutes COOK TIME Broth Garatteok Rice Cakes • 6 cups water • 1 cup rice flour • 2 onions, chopped into large chunks • 1 teaspoon salt • 3 medium carrots, chopped into large chunks • 1/3 cup boiling water • 1 leek stalk, sliced into thick pieces • 1 teaspoon sesame oil • 3 garlic cloves, crushed • 2-inch piece of daikon root (optional, but Garnishes (optional) highly recommended) • 2 stalks of scallions, finely sliced • 2-3 strips dried dasima, kombu or kelp • 2 small red chili peppers, finely sliced (optional, but highly recommended) • 2 sheets of dried roasted seaweed, crumbled • 1 teaspoon sesame oil • 1 teaspoon soy sauce

TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES

SERVES: 4 PEOPLE

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: EASY

1. KOREAN - TTEOKGUK You can find out more about Korean cuisine, its history and the Tangyuan recipe (including more pictures) by clicking here.

Stage 1: Prepare Your Broth

1. Before beginning, you’ll want to lightly clean your dasima. You’ll do this by taking a damp cloth and lightly rubbing it across the surface area of each strip you have. Be sure to keep some of the white powdery substance intact, though, since this is where a lot of flavor comes from!

2. Next, take a large stockpot over medium low heat and add in your onions, carrots, leeks, daikon root and garlic

3. Stir everything around over this low dry heat for 1-2 minutes as the vegetables start to sweat and soften, then layer your dasima on top of your vegetables

4. With your dasima in the stockpot, fill it with your water until all your vegetables are submerged

5. Let the broth come together over this medium low heat for ~20 minutes, occasionally skimming any frothy parts off the top if they arise. Be mindful that the pot doesn’t come to a full boil, though, otherwise the dasima will yield a slimy texture

6. While the broth is simmering together, you can move onto the next stage to create the garatteok

2. KOREAN - TTEOKGUK Stage 2: Prepare your Garaetteok

1. Take a medium-sized mixing bowl and combine your rice flour and salt

2. Next, gradually pour in your boiling water and fold it into the dry mixture with a ladle or silicone spatula

3. When the flour and water has mixed well together, cover your bowl with a paper towel that has a small hole poked through it, then place this bowl in the microwave for 1 minute

4. After a minute, set the bowl next to a cutting board or a similar flat surface, and pour your sesame oil onto the surface

5. Take your rice flour mixture onto the board and onto the area where the sesame oil is. Use your hands for just a second to knead the rice flour together

6. Now take a pestle, the flat side of a mallet or any other similar object to hammer the flour for at least a minute. The goal here is to have your rice flour turn smooth and very elastic

7. After a few minutes, roll your flattened rice flour into a cylindrical shape, and use a knife to cut thin round of rice cakes

8. By the time this garaetteok is done, we can go onto the final stage and the finishing touches

3. KOREAN - TTEOKGUK Stage 3: Finish Broth and Put Tteokguk Together

1. By now, your broth will be ready to go. Take the stockpot off of the heat and pour your broth through a strainer so that only the liquid remains

2. Return your liquid back to the stockpot and place it over medium high heat

3. As your broth comes to a boil, add in your teaspoon of sesame oil and soy sauce and mix around

4. Next, add in your garlic, garaetteok and any other vegetables you’d like, and cook everything together for 4-5 minutes

5. Take your tteokguk off of the stovetop heat, pour into a bowl and garnish with whatever you like. Enjoy!

4. KOREAN - TTEOKGUK Bon Appétit!

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