떡만두국 Rice Cake And Dumpling Soup Recipe

Make clear anchovy-kelp broth

Rinse dashima briefly and wipe (do not wash vigorously). In a large pot add 1600 ml water, beef brisket, dashima, dried anchovy heads and guts, whole peeled onion, and 4 crushed garlic cloves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. As soon as it begins to boil, reduce to low and skim any foam. Simmer gently for 25–30 minutes to develop flavor.

After simmering, remove the dashima after 10 minutes if you prefer less seaweed flavor, and continue simmering the rest. Remove beef and set aside to cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pot, discarding solids. Return strained broth to the pot and season with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. Keep warm over low heat.

Shred cooked beef

While broth simmers, shred or thinly slice the reserved cooked beef into bite-sized strips for garnishing and extra protein. Reserve some to add back into the soup later (about half).

Prepare filling: Press drained tofu in paper towels to remove excess moisture, then crumble into a bowl. Add ground pork, finely chopped shiitake, minced garlic (2 cloves), finely chopped green onions (2 stalks), 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 beaten egg. Mix thoroughly until cohesive.

Assemble mandu: Place a wrapper on your palm, add about 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of filling (depending on wrapper size). Wet the wrapper edge with a little water, fold into a half-moon or purse shape, press edges to seal tightly and remove air. Repeat until all filling or wrappers are used; you should have about 18–20 dumplings.

Cook mandu: You can either steam, pan-fry, or boil the dumplings. For this soup, boil them briefly: bring a small pot of water to a simmer and add dumplings in batches, simmer 3–4 minutes until they float and are cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate. (If using frozen store-bought dumplings, boil until heated through according to package directions.)

Prepare rice cakes: If using refrigerated or refrigerated-packed garaetteok slices, soak in cold water for 10 minutes to separate and soften. If frozen, thaw in cold water until pliable. Drain well.

If using glass noodles (optional), soak in warm water for 10 minutes until flexible, then drain.

Bring the strained, seasoned broth back to a gentle simmer. Add the prepared rice cakes and optional glass noodles to the simmering broth. Cook 3–5 minutes until rice cakes are chewy-tender and noodles are softened.

Add the pre-cooked mandu to the pot gently, along with the reserved shredded beef. Heat together 1–2 minutes to combine flavors without breaking the dumplings.

Adjust seasoning: Taste the soup and add more salt or soy sauce if needed. Add a light pinch of white pepper if desired.

Finish with egg ribbon: With the soup at a gentle simmer, slowly drizzle the beaten egg around the pot while stirring gently in one direction to create thin ribbons/strands of cooked egg. Turn off heat once egg is set.

Ladle into bowls and garnish each bowl with sliced green onion, shredded toasted kim, a small drizzle (about 1/8–1/4 tsp) of sesame oil, and extra sesame seeds if desired. Serve hot.