Pour in water and bring it to a boil. Skim off the foam. Add the garlic, soy sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to boil until the meat is tender.
Add the rice cake slices and boil until soft. Lightly beat the optional egg and drizzle over the soup before turning off the heat. Or make jidan (egg garnish). Ladle the steaming soup into individual bowls and garnish with chopped scallions and gim strips.