Korean Beef Bone Broth Tteok Mandu Guk (Rice Cake and Dumpling Soup)
A Must-Have for Lunar New Year! Rich Korean Beef Bone Broth Tteok Mandu Guk
This Tteok Mandu Guk is elevated with a rich broth simmered from premium Korean beef and enhanced with hearty beef bone broth. The combination of savory beef broth and the nutty flavor of the bone broth creates an exceptionally umami-rich soup. It’s a perfect, comforting, and satisfying meal for everyone to enjoy.
Main Ingredients
- 500g Korean beef (for soup), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 pack (approx. 1L) beef bone broth
- 500g rice cake slices for soup (tteokguk tteok)
- 5-6 kimchi dumplings
Seasoning & Garnish
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce for soup (or salt to taste)
- 4 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or soju)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- Pinch of black pepper powder
- 1 Tbsp chopped green onion (for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp shredded seaweed (gim garu, for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce for soup (or salt to taste)
- 4 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or soju)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- Pinch of black pepper powder
- 1 Tbsp chopped green onion (for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp shredded seaweed (gim garu, for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, rinse the Korean beef for soup under cold water and pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess blood. In a pot, add 2 liters of water, the prepared beef, 3 bay leaves, and 4 tablespoons of cooking wine (or soju). Bring to a boil and then simmer. Start with high heat for the first 20 minutes, then reduce to medium-low heat and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes until the beef is tender and flavorful. This slow simmering process extracts the deep essence of the beef into the broth.
Step 2
Once the beef is tender, carefully remove it from the pot. Let it cool slightly, then shred it into bite-sized pieces by hand. These tender shreds will serve as a delicious topping for your soup.
Step 3
While the beef is simmering, soak the rice cake slices for soup (tteokguk tteok) in lukewarm water. Soaking them helps to soften them and prevents them from clumping together when added to the hot broth, ensuring a pleasant texture.
Step 4
After the beef has finished simmering, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the bay leaves. Skim off any excess fat or impurities that have risen to the surface. This step ensures a clear and clean-tasting broth.
Step 5
To the clear beef broth, add 1 pack (approximately 1 liter) of store-bought beef bone broth. Bring this combined broth to a simmer. This blend of broths will create a richer, more complex, and deeply savory flavor profile.
Step 6
Once the combined broth is at a rolling boil, add the pre-soaked rice cake slices and the kimchi dumplings. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice cakes and dumplings from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Step 7
After adding the rice cakes and dumplings, stir in 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and a pinch of black pepper powder. Season the soup with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce for soup, or adjust with salt to your preferred taste. Cook until the rice cakes float to the surface, indicating they are fully cooked. (Tip: When using beef bone broth, it’s best to season with salt rather than soy sauce, as soy sauce can alter the color of the broth, making it appear darker.)
Step 8
Ladle the hot, delicious Tteok Mandu Guk into serving bowls. For an enhanced presentation and flavor, generously top with the shredded Korean beef and garnish with chopped green onions and shredded seaweed (gim garu). Enjoy this heartwarming and flavorful Korean Beef Bone Broth Tteok Mandu Guk, perfect for celebrating the Lunar New Year or any special occasion!
