Korean beef and radish soup is a favorite in Korea, and it’s a hearty dish that can be made from a few simple ingredients. It’s not spicy, so kids will like it, too. Koreans grow up eating this soup and it’s even served for breakfast!
This Korean beef and radish soup recipe makes enough for 4-6 people. It requires about 30 minutes of prep work and 2 hours and 30 minutes of cooking time.
Ingredients
3 pounds of beef ribs
2 white onions
1 green leek
4 bay leaves
1 clove of garlic
1/2 Korean radish or daikon radish
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1-2 tsp white pepper
1-2 tsp black pepper
Method
Put the meat into a 5-quart pot with cold water and bring to a boil on medium heat for two minutes. Then rinse the cooked meat with cold water and put aside.
Cut onions in half and cut the green leek into 1-inch pieces. Peel one whole clove of garlic and slice radish into finger-thick slices and put aside to use later.
Now, put 1 tsp of canola oil into a big pot on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute for two minutes. Then add the beef ribs and fry for another two minutes. Add the leek and bay leaves and fry for another one minute. Then fill up the pot with water so that it covers all ingredients. Add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp fish sauce, white pepper, and black pepper. Stir a little and let it cook on high heat. Once it boils, turn the heat down and let it simmer with the lid on for about one hour and thirty minutes, then add the radish and let it simmer for another one hour.
For people who don’t like eating leeks or onions, you can place them in a bag or tie them into cheesecloth so they can be removed before serving the soup. Add more soy sauce or salt according to your taste. Also, if you think the soup is oily, place it in the fridge overnight. You’ll be able to skim the fat off the next day.
Now, enjoy your Korean beef and radish soup with a side of rice or glass noodles!
