Kalbi-tang (beef short rib soup) ***

From my friend Jun's Mom


This is one of my favorite Korean soups. It just has a very satisfying taste. Luckily, I made it earlier in the week before this horrid cold hit me. I've been able to enjoy it during my illness. Sooooo yummy!!

Ingredients:
For the Soup
3 pounds beef short ribs (with bone attached and cut into 2-inch pieces, I just asked the butcher to do this for me)
1 medium daikon radish (about 12 inches)
1 garlic bulb (each clove peeled)
1 bunch green onion (washed and sliced into 2 inch pieces)
30 whole black peppercorns
Korean instant beef stock to taste (start with 1 tablespoon and add more as needed)

Sauce for the Meat
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 1/2 tsp black pepper

Garnish
Potato noodles
Egg
Sliced green onion

Directions:
1. Trim fat from ribs, place the ribs in a large bowl or pot and cover with cold water. Soak the meat in the cold water to remove the blood and impurities, change the water every few hours. It's best to let the meat soak over-night. Blanche the meat in boiling water to drain the remaining blood and impurities, do this twice.

2. Peel and cut the daikon radish into 3 pieces. Wash and cut the green onion into 2 inch pieces. Peel the garlic cloves.

3. In a large pot, place in the blanched beef ribs and water. Pour enough water to submerge the pieces of meat altogether. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat and skim off any impurities. Add the daikon radish, green onion, garlic and peppercorns. Let this cook on high for 30 minutes then lower the heat so the soup is simmering. Let the soup cook slowly until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 4 hours.

4. Once the soup is cooked, remove the radish and cut into 1/3-inch squares. Then put the pieces of cooked radish and beef ribs in a bowl and mix well with adobo sauce. Set it aside in refrigerator.

5. Strain the soup to remove the peppercorns, garlic (most of the garlic will have disintegrated into the soup), and the green onions. Cool the soup, then skim off the hardened fat (I let it cool over-night).

6. To serve (for each bowl), reheat the soup over high heat until it boils. Add the potato noodles (a very small handful) and let cook until the noodles are tender. Add a serving of the cooked ribs, radish, green onion, and a cracked egg. Lower the heat and let the egg poach and the meat warm. Once the meat is warmed through, transfer to a large soup bowl and enjoy!!

Note: To make the soup spicy, just add Korean chili powder when you're reheating the soup to serve. That way individuals who don't want their soup spicy can have it that way :) I also serve it with rice.

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