Beef Rice Cake Soup (Tteokguk) with “Coin” Shaped Garnishes
Wish your family prosperity with a bowl of Beef Tteokguk! Learn how to make special “Coin” shaped egg garnishes.
Making tteokguk itself isn’t too difficult, but arranging the toppings can sometimes be a challenge, right?! During these trying times, I wanted to wish everyone abundant blessings and prosperity. Instead of the usual, I’ve prepared a milky beef bone broth and crafted unique “coin” shaped egg garnishes to top it off! I hope you receive much luck this year and that it’s a year where worries are lessened for everyone!
Tteokguk Ingredients
- 300g Rice cake slices for soup (tteokguk tteok)
- 800ml Beef bone broth (sago l soup)
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of pepper
Special Garnish Ingredients
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Ground laver (seaweed)
- Boiled beef (shredded)
- 2 Shiitake mushrooms
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Ground laver (seaweed)
- Boiled beef (shredded)
- 2 Shiitake mushrooms
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Soak the rice cake slices for tteokguk in water for about 10-20 minutes to remove excess starch. This prevents them from sticking together and results in a cleaner soup.
Step 2
Shred the pre-cooked beef along the grain. Season it lightly and simply with soup soy sauce (gukganjang) for a delicate flavor, without any other heavy seasonings.
Step 3
For the garnish, finely julienne only the green parts of the scallions for color. Thinly sliced scallions will look more appealing.
Step 4
Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms by soaking them in water. Trim off the tough stems with scissors. You can julienne the mushroom caps, or for a more rustic look, cut them into larger, bite-sized pieces.
Step 5
Now, it’s time to make the special element of this tteokguk: the ‘coin’ shaped egg garnish. Let’s get started!
Step 6
Crack the eggs into a bowl, beat them well, and then strain them through a sieve to remove the stringy chalazae. Mix in the ground laver and a small amount of salt until well combined.
Step 7
Lightly grease a preheated non-stick frying pan with a thin layer of oil. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, spreading it thinly. Maintaining low heat is crucial to ensure it cooks evenly without burning.
Step 8
Once the egg crepe is cooked, let it cool slightly on a cutting board. Before it cools completely, gently press the bottom edge against the cutting board and trim it to create a straight edge for easier shaping.
Step 9
To create the round shape, use a round cookie cutter or the rounded edge of a measuring spoon to gently press down on the egg crepe. Then, carefully twist and lift to detach the perfect circular pieces.
Step 10
Now, we’ll create the center hole, resembling the string hole of an ancient coin. We’ll make it look like a coin threaded onto a string. By this stage, your coin garnishes are almost complete.
Step 11
Let’s cut the square hole in the center to truly mimic the coin shape. First, cut a square out of one round egg garnish to use as a template. Then, stack two or three more round garnishes on top, place the template on them, and cut through all layers simultaneously! This allows you to create multiple coin holes at once.
Step 12
Finally, thread a thin strip of julienned scallion through the center hole of your coin-shaped garnish. Doesn’t it look remarkably like a real coin?
Step 13
Add the beef bone broth, soaked rice cakes, and sliced shiitake mushrooms to a pot. Bring to a boil. As soon as the soup bubbles up and the rice cakes float to the surface, turn off the heat immediately. It’s important not to overcook the rice cakes.
Step 14
This tteokguk is made simply using a store-bought beef bone broth, ensuring a quick yet delicious meal. It’s a satisfying dish even for busy days.
Step 15
Ladle the cooked rice cakes into a serving bowl. Pour in enough broth to partially cover the rice cakes. Finally, artfully arrange the specially made coin garnishes, shredded beef, and scallions on top for a beautiful and delicious bowl of Beef Tteokguk!
