Korean Food: Duk Mandu Guk for New Year’s Day! This savory Rice Cake and Dumpling Soup is a traditional Korean meal for ringing in the New Year. Every time you enjoy, it feels like a celebration!
KOREAN DUK MANDU GUK FOR NEW YEAR’S DAY
I loved growing up in a Korean household where my parents cooked all the time. Both my mom and dad were in the kitchen all the time cooking Korean food. When I was a teenager and old enough to start cooking on my own, my mom dragged me into the kitchen to teach me some Korean food basics.
My parents also owned a Korean grocery store when I was a kid for almost 15+ years. Every Christmas break, my brother, sister and I would be at the Korean market helping my parents with the holiday rush.
We would often be in the back of the market helping to cut the Korean rice cakes and bag them. Fortunately, my parents had a machine that made cutting the rice cake very easy but we were literally there for hours and hours for a week cutting and bagging everything. The Korean rice cakes are a staple for Koreans during the holiday season to make this dish.
DUK MANDU GUK – KOREAN RICE CAKE AND DUMPLING SOUP
Korean Rice Cake and Dumpling Soup (Duk Mandu Guk) is a traditional Korean dish that is made and eaten on New Year’s Day. A lot of families gather together on New Year’s Day and make the dumplings from scratch. Click here for my dumpling recipe. The Korean rice cakes are added towards the end of the cooking process and this soup dish is comfort and deliciousness in a bowl! I have so many wonderful memories when eating and enjoying this over the holiday season.
I loved eating this soup when I was a kid (and enjoyed it even more because of all of my hard work!) and now, I have a family of my own and we still get together, make dumplings and then make this soup! My daughters know how to make the dumplings. They don’t roll or fold them perfectly, but it really doesn’t matter. Food that is made with love and with your family is the best.
I hope you enjoy and you simply must try this recipe! Wishing everyone a very happy New Year!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE DUK MANDU GUK
You should be able to find many of these ingredients at your local Korean or Asian market or grocery store.
- Sliced rice cakes (fresh or frozen, depending on where you live)
- Sesame oil
- Beef brisket or boneless beef short ribs – cubed in 1/4-1/2 inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- Fish sauce
- Garlic
- Soy sauce – I recommend low sodium soy sauce
- Ready made frozen dumplings (or ingredients to make them homemade)
- Scallions / green onions
- Eggs
- Gim – dried seaweed
HOW TO MAKE MY DUK MANDU GUK FOR NEW YEAR’S DAY
It doesn’t have to be New Year’s to enjoy this deliciously satisfying soup! You can make anytime you’re craving a full meal that’s salty, savory, and meaty all in one comforting bowl.
- Cover and soak the rice cake pieces in cold water for at least 1 hour. You can even soak them overnight and leave them in the fridge. Drain when you’re ready to use.
- Heat the sesame oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until the meat has been browned on all sides, for about 4 to 5 minutes. Add enough cold water to amply cover the beef, cover the pot, and increase the heat to high to bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring the temperature down to low and let simmer for at least 30-60 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. The longer you let your beef simmer, the better it will taste!
- Next, add the fish sauce, garlic, soy sauce, and frozen dumplings. Season with salt and allow to simmer, uncovered, for a few minutes.
- Then, add the drained rice cakes and let boil for another 6-8 minutes. Taste the soup and season with more salt, soy sauce and/or garlic if needed. Keep checking the rice cakes to ensure you are not over cooking: If you cook them for too long, they become too soft and mushy! Add the scallions or green onions and cook for another minute.
- Beat your eggs in a small bowl. Using a large wooden spoon, stir the soup and gently pour in the beaten eggs, while continuing to stir the soup. The eggs will cook instantly and break into small, feathery bits.
Ladle the Duk Mandu Guk soup into bowls and garnish with more green onions and the gim. Serve immediately and enjoy!
LOOKING FOR MORE CELEBRATION-WORTHY HOLIDAY DISHES?
- Good Luck Foods For Chinese New Year
- Quick Appetizers for New Year’s Eve
- Chapchae (Stir Fried Noodles)
- Beef Bourguignon
- Dorie’s Chicken in a Pot
- The Perfect Roast Chicken
Korean Food: Duk Mandu Guk for New Year's Day
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds sliced rice cakes You can find this at any Korean or Asian grocery store; look for the ones that look like flower petals.
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 pound beef brisket or steak or boneless beef short rib, cut into 1/4 or 1/2 inch pieces
- Kosher salt to taste
- 6 to 7 cups cold water
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 to 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce + more if needed
- 15 to 20 pieces of ready made frozen dumplings any kind
- 6 scallions or green onions + a few more for garnish, diced
- 2 eggs beaten
- 4 sheets toasted gim or nori seaweed cut into thin slivers for garnish
Instructions
- Cover and soak the rice cake pieces in cold water for at least 1 hour. You can even soak them overnight and leave them in the fridge. Drain.
- Heat the sesame oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until the meat has been browned on all sides, for about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cold water (or enough to cover your meat and then some; this will become the soup broth so you want to make sure you have enough), cover the pot, increase the heat to high to bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring the temperature down to low and let simmer for at least 20 to 30 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.*
- Add the fish sauce, garlic, soy sauce, frozen dumplings, and season with salt. Cook uncovered for about 3 minutes. Then, add the drained rice cakes and let boil for another 6 to 8 minutes. Taste the soup and season with more salt, soy sauce and/or garlic if needed. Keep checking the rice cakes to ensure you are not over cooking; if you cook them for too long, they become too soft. Add the scallions or green onions and cook for another minute.
- Using a large wooden spoon, stir the soup and pour in the beaten eggs, while stirring. They will cook instantly and break into small, feathery bits. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with more green onions and the gim. Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Kimchi Chronicles Cookbook.
Give this recipe a try, and leave a comment to let me know what you think!
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