Ddeok Gook (Korean New Year Rice Cake Soup)

Description
This is a traditional Lunar New Year dish in Korea. I have seen many different recipes - the only really standard ingredient seems to be the rice cakes -- but I really liked the savoriness of this one. The rice cakes in this soup are not the crispy American kind, but a firm Asian kind used in soups and other dishes. They are like Korean mochi, if that means anything to you. You could use beef broth instead of the anchovy broth if you prefer, although I don't think the anchovy broth really tastes fishy - it's more savory, in the way that Worcestershire sauce and Caesar salad dressing, both of which contain anchovy, are savory. Be careful eating the rice cake: it is so slippery it almost slides down your throat, but gooey enough that you really need to chew it. This is from koreankitchen.com, but I had to do a really specific search to find it, so I thought I'd post it to give it wider exposure, because it was good, and a new treat for me.

Ingredients

 * 1/2 	cup thin sliced korean rice cakes (ddeok gook ddeok)
 * 1/4 	cup dried anchovies (myeol chi - I think the Japanese word is naboshi)
 * 6 	cups water
 * 2 	green onions, chopped
 * 4 	ounces beef, cut into thin strips
 * 1 	egg, beaten
 * 2 	sheets nori (seasoned kim, dried laver seaweed)
 * 1/4 	teaspoon soy sauce
 * 1/4 	teaspoon sesame oil
 * 1/8 	teaspoon sugar
 * 1/8 	teaspoon pepper
 * 1/8 	teaspoon minced garlic
 * 2 servings Change size or US/metric

50 minutes 10 mins prep

Directions
Soak the rice cake in cold water for 30 minutes.

Marinate the beef in the soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper, sugar, and minced garlic.

Saute the beef in a skillet, then set aside.

Put the 6 cups of water and the dried anchovies in a pot.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Strain out the anchovies and return the broth to the pot.

Add the rice cakes to the broth.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium.

Cook for 10-15 minutes, until tender.

Add the green onions.

Pour the egg in a little at a time.

Let it set a bit, then stir- if you stir right after adding the egg, the broth gets milky.

Put into bowls.

Garnish each bowl with some beef and some crumbled kim.