1.15.2022
New Year Tteokguk 떡국
Seoul, South Korea
Thanks to 부산광역시 중구 for sponsoring this post and providing a wonderful cooking class to share the culture surrounding Korean cuisine and traditions. Chef HeeYoung Jang 장히영 showed us from start to finish how to cook this traditional dish over Zoom call, à la pandemic. Tteokguk 떡국 is a soup that Koreans eat on the New Year to bring good health and fortune (hence the coin-shaped rice cakes). Originally, tteokguk is not vegan, but I was able to copy the flavor profiles from the original soup to make this incredible vegan version.
Chef HeeYoung Jang in her kitchen surrounded by ingredients.
The rice cakes and green onion prior to soaking and chopping.
The completed soup - oh so delicious!
This is Chef Jang's recipe, modified by me for a vegan palette. Yields 2 servings.
*You will need a mesh soup pouch to place the carrot, oyster mushroom, green onion and bouillon in! I got mine at Daiso, and it's called 다시백; however, you can use any sort of cheesecloth or soup mesh bags for broth ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 150g rice cake medallions
- 35g green onion
- 1.5 tbsp sesame oil
- 60g tofu
- 600ml water (3 cups)
- 1/3 cup carrot, chopped
- 1 king oyster mushroom, chopped
- 3 large green onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp vegetable bouillon
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 2-3 small squares dried seaweed
Instructions:
- Soak the rice cake in lukewarm water for 15-20 minutes and then strain.
- Thinly slice the tofu and green onion.
- Add 600ml of water into a medium-sized pot. Add pocket with carrot, oyster mushroom, green onions, and bouillon, then bring to a boil. When the broth starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and boil for about 5-7 minutes, and then remove the broth from the pot into a bowl.
- On low heat, coat the pan with the sesame oil and add sliced tofu and the whites of the green onion and stir-fry. When the tofu starts to turn a little golden, add the broth back in and bring it to a boil.
- Add the rice cakes and cook for 3-5 minutes until it gets soft and chewy.
- Add the green parts of the green onion, soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Tear apart the seaweed with your fingertips, or slice in thin ribbons with a knife to make a garnish.
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