Description
Korean Spicy Beef Vegetable Soup is a hearty and flavorful traditional Korean dish featuring tender beef brisket simmered in a rich broth with dried and fresh vegetables, infused with spicy chili flakes and aromatic sesame oil. This comforting soup combines a variety of textures and spicy-savory notes perfect for warming up any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Dried Vegetables
- 0.8 oz (22g) dried fernbrake
- 1 oz (28g) dried taro stem (optional)
Fresh Vegetables
- 8 oz (225g) mung bean sprouts
- 5 oz (140g) oyster mushrooms (or shiitake), torn into bite-size pieces
- 2 Asian leeks
- 1/2 lb (225g) Korean radish, cut into large chunks
- 1 large onion, cut in half
- 1 whole garlic, cut in half
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Meat
- 1 1/4 lb (560g) beef brisket
Seasonings and Sauces
- 1 teaspoon Korean chili paste (gochujang)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Korean anchovy sauce
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3-4 tablespoons Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
Oils and Liquids
- 14 cups (about 3 liters) water
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
Instructions
- Rehydrate dried vegetables: Boil the dried fernbrake and dried taro stem separately until softened. After boiling, soak them for 1 hour, then drain, rinse thoroughly, and slice them into manageable pieces for the soup.
- Make beef stock: In a large stockpot, combine the onion halves, whole garlic halves, Korean radish chunks, and beef brisket with about 14 cups (3 liters) of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes to develop a flavorful broth. After simmering, discard the vegetables, shred the beef brisket finely, and strain the stock to remove any solids.
- Blanch fresh vegetables: Prepare the Asian leeks by cleaning and cutting them into desired sizes. In a pot of boiling salted water, blanch the mung bean sprouts, oyster mushrooms, and sliced leeks for just a few seconds until slightly softened. Quickly drain, rinse with cold water to stop cooking, and squeeze out any excess water to avoid diluting the soup.
- Make chili oil: Heat the regular oil and sesame oil in a pot over low heat. Add the Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) and stir the mixture for about 30 seconds, allowing the flavors and heat to infuse into the oils without burning the spices.
- Combine and simmer: Add the blanched vegetables and shredded beef into the pot with the chili oil. Pour in the reserved beef stock, stirring well. Mix in the Korean chili paste (gochujang) and simmer the soup gently for 15-20 minutes to meld all the flavors together.
- Season the soup: Finish by seasoning the soup with soy sauce, Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang), and anchovy sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste according to your preference before serving.
Notes
- Using both dried and fresh vegetables adds depth and texture to the soup.
- Soaking dried vegetables thoroughly is crucial to soften them and remove any bitterness.
- The beef brisket should be shredded finely to better absorb the spicy broth flavors.
- Adjust the amount of chili flakes and gochujang depending on your preferred spice level.
- Blanching fresh vegetables briefly prevents them from becoming soggy and preserves their crunch.
- For a richer flavor, consider simmering the beef stock longer if time permits.
- This soup is excellent served with steamed rice or Korean side dishes (banchan).
