Description
This comforting Korean winter soup features tender beef short ribs simmered with shiitake mushrooms, daikon radish, and flavorful aromatics in a spicy, savory broth. Enhanced with tofu and green onions, it’s a warming dish perfect for cold weather that combines hearty ingredients with the bold flavors of Korean red pepper flakes and soy sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth and Meat
- 8 cups of water or vegetable broth
- 1 pound of beef short ribs
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 cup of shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup of daikon radish, diced
- ½ cup of green onions, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon of ginger, grated
Seasonings
- ¼ cup of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 teaspoons of sesame oil
Additional
- 1 block of firm tofu, cubed
Instructions
- Prepare the Base: Begin by heating a large pot over medium heat. Add the beef short ribs and brown them for about 5-7 minutes, ensuring all sides are well-seared to enhance flavor.
- Add Aromatics: Once the beef is browned, incorporate minced garlic and grated ginger into the pot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant to build a flavorful base.
- Incorporate Vegetables: Add the diced daikon radish and sliced shiitake mushrooms. Stir the mixture and let it cook for another 5 minutes to soften the vegetables and meld flavors.
- Build the Broth: Pour in 8 cups of water or vegetable broth, then add soy sauce and Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru). Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer gently for at least 60 minutes to develop rich flavors and tenderize the beef.
- Tofu Time: In the final 10 minutes of cooking, add cubed firm tofu and chopped green onions to warm them through and add texture.
- Final Touches: Drizzle sesame oil over the soup before serving and adjust seasoning as needed with additional soy sauce or salt.
Notes
- For a lighter broth, use water instead of vegetable broth.
- You can substitute beef short ribs with bone-in beef shank for a similar texture and flavor.
- Adjust the amount of Korean red pepper flakes according to your spice tolerance.
- To make this dish vegetarian, omit the beef and increase vegetable broth amount, optionally adding mushrooms for umami.
- Simmers slowly for best flavor development.
