Kongnamulguk is one of the most common soups eaten in Korean homes. The broth is light and the bean sprouts succulent, fresh, and a little nutty tasting. The ground toasted sesame seeds sprinkled on top intensify the nutty flavor. Many families eat this soup at least once a week for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s also said to be a great hangover cure. If you’re not a fan of spicy foods, skip the hot pepper flakes. This is one of my favorite soups, and I like it either way.
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound soybean sprouts (kongnamul), washed and drained
- 8 large dried anchovies (mareun-myeolchi), heads and guts removed
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Korean hot pepper flakes (gochu-garu)
- 8 cups water
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds, finely ground in a spice grinder
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine the soybean sprouts, anchovies, garlic, onion, soy sauce, salt, hot pepper flakes, and water in a large saucepan. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat for 30 minutes.
- Add the scallions to the pot, stir, and remove from the heat. Remove and discard the anchovies if you’d rather not eat them. Stir in the sesame oil.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle a tablespoon of sesame seed powder over each portion, and serve
