Hearty Beef and Rice Cake Soup (Tteokguk)
A New Year’s Delight! Simple Beef Tteokguk Recipe Without Broth
A simple and delicious tteokguk recipe made without pre-made broth, perfect for when you’re short on time or ingredients!
Main Ingredients- 200-300g Tteokguk rice cakes (adjust quantity to your liking)
- 100g beef (stew meat or bulgogi-cut)
- 1/2 green onion (scallion)
- 2 eggs
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The key to a delicious beef tteokguk is removing the blood! Soak the beef in cold water for about 10 minutes to drain any excess blood. This will ensure a clean-tasting broth without any gamey odor.
Step 2
After draining the blood, lightly pat the beef dry with paper towels. (If you’re in a hurry, you can proceed without this step, but thorough blood removal yields a better result.)
Step 3
Rinse the tteokguk rice cakes under cold water to prevent them from sticking together. If the rice cakes are hard, soaking them in water for about 10 minutes will shorten the cooking time and make them softer.
Step 4
Heat a pot over medium-low heat, adding both perilla oil (or sesame oil) and cooking oil in a 1:1 ratio. Using perilla oil adds a nutty aroma, and combining it with cooking oil helps prevent burning.
Step 5
Add the drained beef to the pot and stir-fry until the exterior is no longer pink. Searing the beef first allows its natural juices to infuse the broth, creating a rich flavor even without a pre-made stock.
Step 6
Once the beef is partially cooked, add the prepared rice cakes and stir-fry them together with the beef. Stir-frying the rice cakes with the meat will help them absorb the savory beef flavor, making them even more delicious.
Step 7
Now, pour enough water to cover the rice cakes and beef (about 3-4 cups). Bring the soup to a boil over high heat.
Step 8
As the soup begins to boil, foam and any remaining blood might rise to the surface. Skim off this foam with a spoon. This step ensures a clear and pristine broth.
Step 9
Once the soup is boiling again, add the minced garlic and the sliced green onion. Adding green onion provides a refreshing taste and aroma, enhancing the overall flavor of the tteokguk.
Step 10
Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce for soup (Guk-ganjang) to enhance the savory depth. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed. It’s important to taste and adjust gradually rather than adding too much salt at once.
Step 11
In a separate bowl, crack the 2 eggs and beat them well. Removing the chalazae (the white, stringy bits) with a fork will result in a smoother texture when cooked.
Step 12
While the soup is boiling, slowly drizzle the beaten eggs around the edge of the pot. Once the egg begins to set, gently stir just once or twice with chopsticks. Over-stirring can break up the egg, making the broth cloudy.
Step 13
As soon as the egg is cooked into soft curds, turn off the heat and serve. Enjoy a warm bowl of beef tteokguk to start your New Year! It’s especially delicious when served with kimchi.
