Chinese New Year Recipes

Lunar New Year Rice Cake Soup

It is a Korean tradition that we begin each Lunar New Year with rice cake soup because it is said to bring good luck and prosperity. The white rice cake symbolizes purity and cleanliness that is eaten in the new year to bring in good fortune.

For broth

• 6 cups of water
• ¼ organic korean radish or daikon radish
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 small organic onion, chopped
• 6-inch strip kombu

For soup

• 1 pound of rice cakes soaked at least 2 hours or overnight
• 4 organic shiitake mushrooms, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 sheets of roasted seaweed
• 3 organic scallions, chopped
• Black pepper and salt to taste

1. Soak the rice cake in water for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the broth and let it simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Strain the ingredients from the broth and discard.
4. Add rice cake to the broth and let simmer for 10 minutes. Then add shiitake mushrooms and let simmer for another 5 minutes
5. While the soup is boiling, beat the egg, then pour the egg slowly in a circle in the soup.
6. Let the soup continue to boil for another 5 minutes.
7. Serve soup in individual boils and garnish with roasted seaweed and scallions. Add black pepper and salt to taste.