Chewy and Savory Myeongnan Tteokguk (Pollock Roe Rice Cake Soup)
A clear, simple one-bowl rice cake soup made by simmering rice cakes and savory salted pollock roe in anchovy broth.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This is a single-serving soup dish that brews clean and delicious without complicated seasonings, as the natural saltiness of pollock roe infuses the broth. Simply add the pollock roe once the rice cakes float to the top in the anchovy broth, making it great for a quick meal or a special treat.
- Servings
- 1 serving
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
- Sliced rice cakes (tteokguk-tteok)200 g
- Pollock roe (myeongnan)80 g
- Large green onion (daepa)a little
- Ground black peppera little
- Anchovy broth (or water, 1 broth tablet)3 cups
- One large pollock roe sac weighs around 40g, so prepare 2; for smaller sizes, about 5 sacs will weigh roughly 80g.
- If your sliced rice cakes have been in the freezer or are hard, soak them in water before using.
Steps
One large pollock roe sac weighs around 40g, so you can prepare 2.
The pollock roe I prepared was a small size, so about 5 pieces weighed around 80g.
If your sliced rice cakes have been in the freezer or are hard, soak them in water before using, and prepare a little large green onion.
Cut the pollock roe into bite-sized pieces and finely slice the green onion.
Pour the anchovy broth into a pot and bring it to a boil.
Instead of standard anchovy broth, I boiled water with a broth coin tablet.
Add the rice cakes and boil.
Once the rice cakes float to the surface and are fully cooked, add the pollock roe.
Skim off the foam.
As the pollock roe cooks through, the salt from the roe will naturally season the broth.
Taste it, and if it is bland, adjust with soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) or salt.
It was just right for my taste, so I did not add any extra seasoning.
Finally, add the green onion and boil briefly just until fragrant, and it is done.
Right before eating, I added a little ground black pepper.
It is a neat, clean, and delicious rice cake soup.
To my taste, it is just perfect like this, with the natural flavor of the pollock roe shining through.
Ppunwife's tips
- The soup is seasoned by the salt released as the pollock roe cooks, so taste it first and adjust with soup soy sauce or salt only if it feels bland.
- Depending on your preference, you can also add egg, seaweed flakes, or toasted sesame oil.
FAQ
How do you season the broth?
The broth is naturally seasoned by the salt released as the pollock roe cooks; if it needs more flavor, adjust by adding a little soup soy sauce or salt.
How do you prepare hardened sliced rice cakes?
If the rice cakes have been kept in the freezer or have hardened, soak them in water before cooking, then drain and use.
Are there any garnishes or ingredients I can add to taste?
Depending on your taste, it goes very well served with egg, seaweed flakes, or toasted sesame oil.
