Koreans, like the Japanese, serve a mochi soup to celebrate the New Year. Hind ttok (Korean rice cake), however, is firmer than its Japanese counterpart and must be cooked and eaten hot in a soup or sauce.
Ttok kuk, the holiday soup, is made with beef or chicken broth and is usually garnished with strips of beef, green onion, egg strips and seaweed, though you can add dark leafy greens to the mix.
Joan Namkoong shares her version in “A Korean Kitchen.”
TTOK KUK (RICE CAKE SOUP)
By Joan Namkoong
- 1/2 pound beef, round or sirloin
- 3 tablespoons Basic Korean Sauce (recipe at right)
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 6 pieces hind ttok
- 8 cups beef or chicken broth
- 4 green onions, chopped
- Egg garnish, using 2 eggs (instructions follow)
- 2 sheets seaweed, crumpled
- Sil kochu (chili pepper thread), for garnish
Slice beef into 1/4-inch pieces, then cut into fine strips. Place in bowl and add Basic Korean Sauce. Marinate 30 minutes.
In small skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add beef; cook until well done. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
Slice hind ttok into 3/8-inch thick pieces on the diagonal; set aside.
Bring medium pot of water to a boil. In another pot, bring broth to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Reduce heat, cover and keep hot.
When ready to serve, drop hind ttok into boiling water. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until ttok is soft. Remove from water with slotted spoon and divide among 4 bowls. Sprinkle with green onions and egg.
Add hot broth. Top with beef and seaweed. Garnish with sil kochu and serve at once. Serves 4.
Nutritional information unavailable.
BASIC KOREAN SAUCE
By Joan Namkoong
- 2/3 cup shoyu (Kikkoman or brand of your choice)
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
Measure all ingredients in bowl and whisk together. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more sugar or some honey if desired.
The sauce can serve as a marinade for kalbi, chicken, chop chae and other vegetable dishes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Makes 1 cup.
>> To make egg garnish: Separate yolks and whites and beat each well. Heat a small skillet over medium and add 1 to 2 teaspoons oil. Reduce heat to low and pour small amount of either yolk or white into the pan, swirling pan to to spread egg into a thin pancake. Cook until mostly set — do not brown — then turn over and cook other side. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate. When cool, stack white and yellow pancakes separately, cut into fine shreds and use as garnish.
Nutritional information unavailable.
Find “A Korean Kitchen” at Barnes & Noble and wherever books are sold; on amazon.com; and at Mutual Publishing, 1215 Center St., Suite 210. Call Mutual at 732-1709.
