Clear and Refreshing Pollack Roe Rice Cake Soup (Myeongran Tteokguk)
Lee Young-ja’s Myeongran Tteokguk from ‘Omniscient Interfering View’: A Clean, Deep Broth with Bursting Roe Flavors!
Introducing the viral Myeongran Tteokguk recipe by Lee Young-ja, featured on ‘Omniscient Interfering View’. Experience the refreshing taste of anchovy broth combined with the savory umami of pollack roe. This special tteokguk is perfect for a hangover cure or a hearty meal at home. Enjoy the clear, crisp broth, chewy rice cakes, and the delightful pop of pollack roe.
Basic Tteokguk Ingredients
- 200g Tteokguk rice cakes (rinsed in water)
- 1/2 stalk green onion (cut diagonally)
- 1 egg (beaten)
- Pinch of black pepper powder
- 5 cups anchovy broth (made with dried anchovies and kelp)
Rice Cake Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp soup soy sauce
- Pinch of salt
Tteokguk Seasoning
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1-2 strands pollack roe (membrane removed, roe separated and chopped)
- 1 Tbsp soup soy sauce
- Pinch of salt
Tteokguk Seasoning
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1-2 strands pollack roe (membrane removed, roe separated and chopped)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the tteokguk rice cakes. If they are stuck together, gently rinse them under running water to separate. In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of soup soy sauce and a pinch of salt to the rinsed rice cakes. Gently mix them together to season. This step allows the rice cakes to absorb a subtle flavor, making them more delicious.
Step 2
The foundation of a delicious tteokguk is its broth! In a pot, add 5 cups of water, dried anchovies, and kelp. Bring to a boil to create a rich anchovy-kelp broth. Once the broth boils, remove the kelp. Continue boiling the anchovies for about 10 minutes, then remove them to get a clear broth. Add the seasoned rice cakes to the boiling broth.
Step 3
Add 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic to the anchovy broth to enhance its savory flavor. Let it simmer briefly to allow the garlic aroma to infuse into the broth.
Step 4
When the rice cakes become soft and start to float to the surface, add the prepared pollack roe, chopped into bite-sized pieces, to the pot. Since pollack roe is naturally salty, it’s best to minimize adding extra salt or soup soy sauce. Taste the broth and adjust sparingly if needed. Finally, add the diagonally sliced green onion (1/2 stalk) and let it simmer for another moment. A key feature of Lee Young-ja’s Myeongran Tteokguk is that it’s seasoned subtly, relying on the natural saltiness of the pre-seasoned rice cakes and pollack roe.
Step 5
Once the rice cakes and green onions are cooked and the soup comes to a gentle boil, slowly pour the beaten egg in a circular motion around the edges of the pot. The egg will cook and spread out beautifully like flower petals. Once the egg is set, sprinkle with black pepper powder. Now, turn off the heat and get ready to serve.
Step 6
Serve the warm Myeongran Tteokguk in bowls. For an enhanced flavor, you can add a drop of sesame oil or a sprinkle of roasted seaweed flakes according to your preference. Enjoy the refreshing broth and the delightful burst of flavor from the pollack roe!
