Spicy Kimchi Rice Cake Soup (Kimchi Tteokguk)
How to Make a Flavorful and Spicy Kimchi Rice Cake Soup
This recipe for Kimchi Tteokguk features the deep flavor of well-fermented kimchi, chewy rice cakes, and hearty dumplings, making it the perfect dish for cold weather. It’s simple yet satisfying and makes for a complete meal.
Main Ingredients- 1200ml Anchovy-Kelp Broth (or rice water)
- 2 cups Tteokguk Rice Cakes (approx. 400g)
- 2-4 frozen dumplings (adjust to your preference)
- 4 segments of well-fermented kimchi (approx. 200g), finely chopped
- 1/2 stalk green onion, thinly sliced
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 ladleful of kimchi brine (approx. 100ml)
- A sprinkle of shredded seaweed (for garnish)
Seasoning- 1 Tbsp Soup Soy Sauce (Gukganjang)
- 1 Tbsp Tuna Extract (or additional soup soy sauce if unavailable)
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.5 Tbsp sesame oil (for finishing)
- A pinch of ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 Tbsp Soup Soy Sauce (Gukganjang)
- 1 Tbsp Tuna Extract (or additional soup soy sauce if unavailable)
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.5 Tbsp sesame oil (for finishing)
- A pinch of ground black pepper (to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Finely chop the kimchi into bite-sized pieces. Prepare the minced garlic and thinly slice the green onion; slicing it lengthwise before chopping helps release more flavor into the broth.
Step 2
Rinse the tteokguk rice cakes in cold water about twice to prevent them from sticking together. If the rice cakes are hard, soak them in water for a short while for a softer texture.
Step 3
Pour the anchovy-kelp broth into a pot. Add a ladleful of kimchi brine to create the soup base, which adds a pleasant spicy kick.
Step 4
Add the prepared kimchi to the broth and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, simmer for about 5 minutes until the kimchi softens. Cooking the kimchi first deepens the broth’s flavor.
Step 5
Once the broth is boiling again, add the frozen dumplings. Wait briefly for the dumplings to start cooking.
Step 6
As the dumplings begin to cook, add the tteokguk rice cakes. Continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes until the rice cakes are tender and the dumplings are fully cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice cakes from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Step 7
Add the sliced green onions to enhance the soup’s aroma.
Step 8
Season the soup with soup soy sauce and tuna extract. You can add salt to adjust the taste further according to your preference. Add the minced garlic at this stage.
Step 9
Finally, drizzle the beaten egg into the soup without stirring. Let it cook until the egg is set, then turn off the heat. Before serving, add a drizzle of sesame oil, a pinch of black pepper, and garnish with shredded seaweed for a delicious Kimchi Tteokguk!
