Servings: 4

This soup is so intrinsic to New Year in South Korea that without eating it, you can’t be considered to be one year older, as Koreans consider themselves to grow older on New Year’s Eve rather than on their birthday. You can even find out how old a Korean person is by asking them how many tteokguk they have eaten. Tteokguk is believed to signify purity and a fresh start. So if you also want to enter 2019 with a kick start, then try this delicious comfort food!

INGREDIENTS

• 500g rice cake

Broth:

• 230g beef brisket
• ½ onion
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 3 scallions - white parts
• 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce
• 3 liters water
• Salt and pepper

Garnish:

• ½ tsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 1 egg
• 1 scallion
• 2 seaweed sheets

PREPARATION

Broth

Fill a large pot with water and boil the meat, onion, scallions and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium low, and skim off the foam. Simmer, covered, until the meat is tender enough for shredding (60 to 90 minutes). Take out the meat and let it cool off. Discard the vegetables. Add anchovy sauce, salt and pepper to the broth.

Garnish

Cut the cooled beef into strips, and marinade it with garlic, sesame oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Slice the scallion diagonally into thin strips. Cut the seaweed sheet into thin strips. To make egg garnish, separate the egg yolk from the egg white. Scramble the egg yolk with a spoon until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled non-stick frying pan over medium low heat. Pour the egg into a thin layer, by tilting the frying pan. Cook each side briefly. Do not brown the egg. Roll the egg crepe, and slice it into short thin strips.

Bring the broth to a boil again. Add the rice cake and boil it until soft (5-8 minutes). Ladle the soup into four bowls. Season with sesame oil. Garnish with the shredded beef, egg, scallion, seaweed strips and minced garlic.