Spicy Mandu Guk 만두국

Mandu Guk is a dish that’s usually reserved for holidays but I like to make it whenever I want the meal to feel special. Instead of a broth made from anchovy stock, which is quite delicious in its own subtle way, I amp up the flavor just how I like it with beef and spice. You can use these pork and kimchi dumplings, but any frozen flavor combo will due. The egg drizzle at the end is completely optional and not traditional. To clarify, optional for some, not for me.

Spicy Mandu Guk 만두국 Spicy Dumpling Soup

Serves 2

½ lb. beef brisket
2 garlic cloves
2 green onions, top halves for toppings
8 cups vegetable broth
2 TBSP fish sauce
1 TBSP gochugaru
10 frozen dumplings
1 egg
Salt to taste

For Toppings:
2 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp for each bowl
¼ small white onion
1 Fresno chili
1 egg

1. Prepare the toppings while the soup is on the stovetop by thinly slicing the white onion, green onion tops, and Fresno chili. Whisk 1 egg into a bowl. In a medium heat pan, fry the egg in one flat circle, and cut into strips.

2. To prep for the soup, cut the beef brisket into small pieces, grate the garlic, dice the bottom half of the green onions into small pieces. Whisk an egg in a bowl and set aside. In a large pot, bring the beef, garlic, green onions, fish sauce, and vegetable broth to a boil. After 5 minutes, bring the soup to medium-low heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Skim off any foam that forms on top. Taste the soup to see if salt needs to be added at this point.

3. Bring the soup back up to a boil and add the dumplings. After 5 minutes, the dumplings will be cooked when they float and get slightly larger in size. Turn off the heat and drizzle in the beaten egg. Leave the soup sit for 2 minutes before serving.

4. To serve, ladle half of the dumplings and soup into separate bowls. Drizzle on sesame oil and top with the onion, Fresno chili, green onion, and egg strips on top.

Tip: Fresh dumplings will only take 2 minutes.