Tteokguk’(Rice Cake Soup): NYD’s must-eat dish for all Korean around the world

Tteokguk is a soup made with disc-shaped rice cakes in clear, usually beef, broth. It's a traditional must-eat New Year's dish in Korea.

Tteokguk is a traditional must-eat New Year's dish in Korea. Source: Korean Tourism Office

"새해 복 많이 받으세요"(saehae bog manh-i bad-euseyo): Best wishes for a Happy New Year! Source: KTO

On the first day of the Lunar calendar which is one of most widely celebrated holidays in Korean communities all around the world including the homeland.

According to the traditional age reckoning in Korea, everyone has to empty one bowl of tteokguk to go up one year in one’s age.  Some kids used to believe they could become two-year older once they finish two bowls of the dish.

Most of Korean people still exchange their NYD greetings that “Did you have a bowl of tteokguk today?” along with “Happy New Year”.

Tteokguk is a traditional must-eat New Year's dish in Korea. Source: Getty Images

"Tteok" means rice cake, and "guk" indicates soup. The type of rice cake used for this soup is called garaetteok, which is unsweetened and looks like a white water hose. But nowadays you can get already sliced garaetteok (rice cake) from any Korean grocery shop; even in Korea, making the soup preparation much easy.

The type of rice cake used for Tteokguk is called garaetteok. Source: Korean Tourism Office

Often, Koreans add mandu (Korean dumplings) to tteokguk, in which case the soup is called tteok-manduguk. You can use any kind of mandu in the soup.

This starchy and soothing bowl of soup is not only a New Year's tradition but is classic comfort food any time of the year!

Ingredients (4 serving):

Beef Broth (for non-meat broth, use anchovy broth or dash)

1/2 lb (250g) beef brisket

1/2 onion

6 - 8 cloves of garlic

3 scallions (shallot/spring onion)

1 tablespoon soup soy sauce (Korean soy sauce)

Salt and pepper to taste

*To make anchovy broth (Boil 1 cup dried anchovies and dried kelp (3 4-inch square pieces) in 10 cups of water for 10 minutes.)

4 cups sliced rice cake (also called “sliced rice noodle and available at any Korean grocery shop)

*12 -16 pieces mandu (Korean dumplings) – optional (you can make your own mandu or can get already made mandu from Korean groceries.  Its taste is quite different from Chinese dumplings.

There are two types of mandu: the one made with kimchi and the other with meat.

Koreans add mandu (Korean dumplings) to tteokguk, in which case the soup is called tteok-manduguk. Source: Getty Images