Nourishing Korean Meatball Soup (Wanjatang)
Jejnu University’s Special Herbal Meatball Soup
Introducing ‘Herbal Meatball Soup,’ a perfect restorative dish for when you need a nourishing meal. This soup combines the rich herbal broth of Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup) with the chewy texture of potato dumplings (Gamsja Ongsimi). Minced beef, carefully wrapped around the dumplings, melts lusciously in your mouth. We’ve used domestic Korean beef to maximize nutritional value and designed this dish for easy preparation at home. It’s an excellent, healthy meal option, especially recommended for seniors.
Ingredients- 200g Ground Beef (for meatballs)
- 100g Beef Shank (for broth)
- 5 medium Potatoes
- 1 Shiitake Mushroom
- 1 pack Korean Herbal Soup Ingredients (Samgyetang pack)
- 1/3 Korean Radish (Mu)
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce for Soup (Guk-ganjang)
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce (Jin-ganjang)
- 2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 2 Tbsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 3 Tbsp Rice Wine (Cheongju)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, peel the potatoes and grate them. Strain the grated potatoes to separate the starch and the liquid with the potato solids. Discard the clear liquid, and then mix the potato starch and solids together. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes to firm up the mixture for the potato dumplings (Gamsja Ongsimi). This process will make the dumplings chewier.
Step 2
Combine the chilled potato starch and solids mixture. If the dumpling mixture is too sticky, gradually add a little flour until it reaches a workable consistency, suitable for shaping into small, flat rounds.
Step 3
Pat the ground beef for the meatballs dry with paper towels to remove any excess blood. Season the minced beef with a pinch of black pepper, a pinch of salt, and 3 tablespoons of rice wine. This seasoning helps to eliminate any gamey odor and enhances the flavor.
Step 4
Prepare the garnish by thinly slicing the green and red chili peppers (seeds removed) and the shiitake mushroom into bite-sized pieces. These will add a beautiful color to the dish.
Step 5
Combine the prepared potato dumpling mixture with the seasoned ground beef and mix well. Shape the mixture into round meatballs. Then, briefly blanch them in boiling water or lightly pan-fry them in a little oil until the surface is slightly cooked. (The original term ‘seolyamyeoksik’ is interpreted here as either blanching or lightly searing.) Lightly cooking the exterior helps the meatballs maintain their shape in the broth without falling apart.
Step 6
Thinly slice the beef shank for the broth and the Korean radish into similar sizes. Heat sesame oil in a pot and sauté the sliced radish and beef shank until the beef loses its pink color. Add a sufficient amount of water and the herbal soup pack. Simmer over medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes to extract a rich, flavorful broth.
Step 7
Add the shaped meatballs to the prepared herbal broth and simmer for a few more minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Garnish with the prepared chili peppers and shiitake mushrooms. Finally, adjust the seasoning with soy sauce for soup, soy sauce, and salt to taste. Serve hot and enjoy your delicious Herbal Meatball Soup!
