Picture this: a tasty meal placed in a steaming hot bowl, packed full with the tenderest of ingredients. The more comfortable and inviting a nourishing dish you can imagine, think no further than Manduguk, or ‘dumpling soup’ in literal translation. The word ‘manduguk’ means ‘dumpling soup.’ Interestingly, the dish holds much cultural and historical depth. It is really for a New Year’s meal. This rich and historically warm dish is prepared with what the Koreans call **mandu**, or in English, a dumpling, and makes its place in hot broth. Manduguk celebrates much in versatility, simplicity, and comforting flavors, thus making it one of the most treasured dishes Korean families love, particularly during winter
The Manduguk Tradition
Though tteokguk is perhaps the most exemplary of Korean New Year’s dishes, many Koreans also loved tteok-mandu-guk as well as the combination of rice cakes with dumplings in a savory broth. Manduguk—that is to say, a soup made only with dumplings—has been an established New Year’s tradition in North Korea and more widely in families whose ancestry lies north. This is because the climate of northern Korea is less suitable for rice, and therefore the dumpling is more viable and popular than the rice cake.
The manduguk, therefore remains emotionally attached to the North Korean root. For those who are lucky enough to cross into the south, separation from loved ones and making it impossible to cross borders often makes this traditional cooking cling for those who manage to flee south to the cultural and regional identity.
Manduguk: A Versatile and Comforting Dish
Even though manduguk is a dish that must be during the Lunar New Year time, it can actually be eaten throughout the year. Such a dish is easy to prepare but remains the finest dish for a hearty comfort meal on cold days or when you need to get into a bowl of soup.
Now that we know what manduguk is, let’s learn the ingredients, variations, and techniques to get your dream bowl of manduguk.
Ingredients of Manduguk
1. Mandu – Korean Dumplings
Amid all the dishes, one steals the show mandu, or dumplings. I know, both manduguk (traditional) and dozens of other kinds can be made in a home kitchen or picked up in most supermarkets-infinity of fillings and styles. Also known as Chinese samosas or Russian pierogi, mandu fills its dough with ground pork, beef, chicken, tofu, and veggies, among many variations. Some of the common ones are:
Kimchi Mandu: They are stuffed with kimchi, pork, and tofu fillings giving a delicious soft spicy flavor.
Gogi Mandu: More authentic meat filling is utilised, like pork or beef, or a mix of the former, along with some mixed napa cabbage, green onions, and garlic.
Vegetarian Mandu: The vegetarian version fills their mandu with tofu and mushrooms and then other vegetables.
Many cooks keep a batch of homemade dumplings in the freezer to be ready for addition to a warm comforting soup at an instant. Storebought frozen dumplings also works well and can be a lifesaver for the busy cook.
2. Broth
Any good soup must, of course have a good base: that is to say, a strong broth at the bottom. It’s no different for a manduguk. To be considered truly good, the broth itself may be constructed from one of several bases – again, it depends on your personal preferences and dietary requirements.
– Beef Broth: The pure selection of beef broth is the best choice for manduguk; it lends a particularly deep, hearty flavor to the soup. Instead of the richer beef bone broth, known as sagolguk, milky, deeply flavored beef bone broth can be used to add depth to the dish.
– Anchovy Broth: For lighter, cleaner taste, your best way forward is **anchovy broth**. Anchovy broth, made of simmered dried anchovies and sea kelp, known as dashima, is a staple of Korean cuisine; done sparingly it can add gentle umami without overpowering flavor.
–Chicken Broth : Or if you prefer a lighter taste that you are accustomed to, chicken broth does the trick just fine, and you can easily find packaged chicken broth for manduguk at your local grocery store.
– Vegan Broth: A vegan version of manduguk can be created by using only vegetable broth with vegan manduguk. To make a vegetable broth, sautéed onions and garlic, dried shiitake mushrooms, and sea kelp can add up to create a full-bodied soup with deep, rich, and umami notes.
3. Garnishes
Quite a few garnishes may be added toward the completion of the soup as these garnishes will enhance the flavor while also enhancing the presentation of this dish.
Egg ribbons: Freshly cracked eggs are slowly pouring into the pot, creating fine ribbons that give silkiness and richness to the soup.
Nori (Gim) strips. This toasted thinly sliced seaweed was crispy in parts on its savory topping.
Green onions. Chopped green onions add refreshingly slightly sharp to provide a balance for the richness of this rich broth.
– Sesame seeds: Toasted sesame seeds give a nutty flavour with a slight crunch to the soup.
To Prepare Manduguk
(Disclaimer: This is one of the easiest recipes, if you are using pre-made dumplings and soup. A home manduguk would be very easy to prepare too, if you used this simplification recipe guide.)
Ingredients
– 12 dumplings (homemade or from shops)
6 cups beef broth (or soup of choice)
Scrambled eggs:
2 lightly beaten eggs
1 sheet toasted nori, cut into thin strips
2 green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Toast sesame seeds for garnish if desired
Preparation:
Nota Bene: Doesn’t matter if it’s homemade or store-bought. Warm your broth, whisking it over medium-high heat. Homemade broth is gonna take about half an hour to several hours, depending on what you decide to use as a base.
2. Add the dumplings Once the broth is at boiling point add the dumplings. Use frozen if you like-there’s no need to even thaw them; just add and let cook for 5 to 7 minutes in the soup until they float to the surface and cook.
Add in the egg: Add the beaten eggs slowly, slowly to the cooking soup in a thin stream, and stir them gently to create delicate ribbons of egg.
4. Seasoning soup: Taste for seasoning; add a pinch of salt or a few grinds of pepper if necessary.
5. Ladle into bowls and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and add green onions, nori strips, and toasted sesame seeds if desired.
The basic manduguk may taste super good, but some variety in flavor or dietary preference could be achieved through a few alternatives.
1. Tteok-Mandu-Guk
It combines mandu with **tteok**, which are rice cakes. The chewy rice cakes of tteok added to the broth give fantastic texture in the soup. Tteok-mandu-guk is notably enjoyed during New Year’s, as it is traditional for people to enjoy eating rice cakes because it is the tradition of the start of the new year and brings good fortune.
2. Milky Bone Broth Manduguk (Sagol Manduguk)
This can be made even more indulgent by using **sagolguk** or **seolleongtang** as the base. Sagolguk is literally ‘rich, milky beef bone broth,’ and it’s prepared with beef bones simmered for hours until the marrow begins to dissolve, filling the soup with deep savory flavors and silky texture.
3. Vegan Manduguk
Replace the traditional stock with vegetable stock and serve it with vegan dumplings. Nowadays, most Korean stores sell vegan dumplings stuffed with tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables. You can also make your own vegan dumplings at home by grinding tofu and spinach into a paste and adding sliced mushrooms for stuffing.
Mandugu and Cultural Heritage of Korea
Not only have these dishes been an important part of Korea’s history for so long, but it’s part of the cultural value compared to simple comfort food in the preparation. Among many families and indeed among people in North Korea, manduguk is symbolic of the eve of New Year’s but connects them to their past. It symbolizes resourcefulness and resilience for a dish associated with the colder, harsher climate of northern Korea.
To the Koreans, manduguk is a symbol of union and family. It is prepared mostly in commercial quantities to celebrate festive events that include the social activity as preparation of the dumplings. There sit numerous generations of family members awaiting a table to help in folding and stuffing of the dumplings. Of course, food sharing, including a warm bowl of manduguk, actually has an effect on strengthening bonds between family members and friends, this is indeed the reason it’s adored in Korean cuisine.
Manduguk in Modern Life
Although this dish has its traditional roots, this transformation attempts to fit into the modern trend of Koreans that still retain parts of the older experience. While everyone remains fiercely loyal to preparing this from scratch, the availability of frozen and commercially prepared ready-to-cook good dumplings and several ready-made broths in the market have made it possible for those who want to have this manduguk on a busy night in the middle of the week.
It appears on a Korean restaurant menu around the world; most restaurants serve this to people getting exposed to Korean food or as a comfort food for Koreans eating abroad. Its adaptability also ensures that it can be customized into others’ tastes and dietary needs, ensuring it can remain popular with anyone.
Manduguk is not just a dough soup. It is a dish carrying deep cultural meaning and history since its own origins in North Korea to becoming a New Year’s tradition for many Koreans. Whether one makes it from scratch or uses the easily prepared packs available in stores, comfort and satisfaction can be expected on any table.
FAQs
1. Manduguk is rather far from tteokguk.
Manduguk is a traditional Korean soup made with savory broth and it is taken with dumplings. Mostly, manduguk is served during Korean New Year, especially for North Korea. Tteokguk consists of the slicing of thin rice cakes, cooked in the broth. The dish is used more in South Korea. The mixture variant using rice cakes and dumplings in one go is called tteok-mandu-guk.
2. Can I make it with self-made mandu, or can I just buy some from stores?
Of course! Mandu sold in stores-even more so, the ones that are frozen-are already ready for manduguk. You can just drop them directly into your boiling broth without even thawing them. They will be cooked after 5 to 7 minutes. Really handy if you need to eat in a hurry, that is.
3. What should I use for the broth of Manduguk?
Traditionally, one uses beef broth, in the form of a rich and milky bone broth known as either **sagolguk** (사골국) or **seolleongtang** (설렁탕). Of course, one may also use anchovy broth for lighter flavor, chicken broth for a lack of beef, or vegetable broth for a vegan version. As always, your choice of broth may determine your flavor.
4. Can a version of Manduguk be vegetarian or vegan?
No issue as long as you use vegetable broth for the base and vegan dumplings stuffed with tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables. Many Korean stores now sell vegan versions of steamed dumplings. Top it with chopped green onions, nori strips, and sesame seeds to give it that extra flavor.
5. Can Manduguk be frozen for later use?
The good news is that manduguk freezes fairly well. Broth, as well as dumplings, would freeze well and best served frozen, thawed for serving.