Mandoo are Korean dumplings almost identical to gyoza, though they are more often steamed than panfried. If you don’t feel like making dumplings, you can use this broth to make soup with duk, Korean rice cakes; these are sold fresh or frozen at most Korean markets. Sometimes noodles are added to this soup as well, a nice but unnecessary touch.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 ounces Korean potato starch noodles or mung bean noodles, optional

　　3 tablespoons dark sesame oil

　　1 medium onion, chopped

　　2 tablespoons minced garlic

　　6 cups beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160)

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　12 to 24 gyoza or similar dumplings (pages 63–64)

　　3 tablespoons soy sauce

　　1/2 cup minced scallion for garnish

　　

Step 1

If you’re using the noodles, soak them in hot water to cover while you proceed with the recipe.

　　

Step 2

Put 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil in a saucepan or casserole and turn the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring once or twice, for another minute. Add the stock and bring almost to a boil, then lower the heat so the mixture simmers. Taste and add salt if necessary, along with plenty of black pepper.

　　

Step 3

Add the dumplings and continue to simmer. If the soaked noodles are very long, cut them into manageable lengths with scissors and add them to the stock. Cook until the dumplings are hot, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Add the soy sauce and remaining sesame oil to the soup, divide it among 4 bowls, garnish with scallion, and serve

　　

Duk Kuk (Rice Cake Soup)

Step 4

Omit step 1. Step 2 remains the same, though if you like you can add 1/4 to 1/2 pound beef sirloin, cut into small cubes. In step 3, add about 1/2 pound duk (Korean rice cake), cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Simmer until the rice cake is hot, about 5 minutes. Garnish and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.