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Haejang-guk
Cabbage and bean sprout soup
Ugeoji haejang-guk (우거지 해장국): Korean morning soup of cabbage and bean sprouts in beef bone broth
Haejang-guk means "soup to chase a hangover", and in Seoul and every Korean city the 24-hour haejang-guk houses fill at dawn with office workers and night-shift drivers. This version is the everyday ugeoji style: outer napa cabbage leaves and bean sprouts simmered with doenjang and chilli in a beef bone broth, with tender beef shin, eaten with a bowl of rice. The common mistake is skipping the soak and first boil of the bones, which leaves the broth murky and metallic. Chef's tip: squeeze the blanched cabbage leaves and rub them with the doenjang and chilli before they go into the pot, so the seasoning clings to every leaf.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the broth
- 2 ¼ lb beef marrow or knuckle bones
- 14 oz beef shinin one piece
- 2.5 litres water
- 1 onionhalved
- 6 garlic clovescrushed
For the soup
- 7 oz soybean sproutsrinsed
- 1 ½ tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
- 3 garlic clovesminced
- 1 tbsp Korean soup soy sauce
- 3 spring onionssliced
- ½ tsp saltto taste
- 4 bowls cooked short-grain riceto serve
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Soak 2 ¼ lb beef marrow or knuckle bones and 14 oz beef shin in cold water for 1 hour, changing the water once, to draw out the blood.
Step 2: Put the bones and shin in a pot, cover with fresh water and boil hard for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse the bones and pot, and throw that water away.
5 minStep 3: Return the bones and shin to the pot with 2.5 litres water, 1 onion and 6 garlic cloves. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently, half covered, for 75 minutes, skimming now and then, until the shin is tender when pierced.
75 minStep 4: Meanwhile, blanch 14 oz napa cabbage outer leaves in boiling water for 3 minutes until floppy. Cool under cold water, squeeze dry and tear into strips.
3 minStep 5: In a bowl, rub the cabbage with 3 tbsp doenjang (Korean soybean paste), 1 ½ tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes) and 3 garlic cloves until every strip is coated.
Step 6: Lift out the shin and slice it thinly. Strain the broth, discarding the bones and onion; you need about 1.5 litres.
Step 7: Bring the broth back to the boil, add the seasoned cabbage and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 7 oz soybean sprouts and the sliced shin and simmer for 5 minutes more with the lid on, until the sprouts lose their raw, beany smell.
15 minStep 8: Season with 1 tbsp Korean soup soy sauce and ½ tsp salt, scatter in 3 spring onions and serve bubbling hot with 4 bowls cooked short-grain rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does haejang-guk take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 95 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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