Hearty and Spicy Winter ‘Gangjuk’ Rice Soup
A Comforting Winter Delicacy: Gangjuk Recipe
A warm and slightly spicy rice soup that’s perfect for chilly winter days. It’s a delightful blend of rice, chewy rice cakes, refreshing bean sprouts, and tangy kimchi.
Main Ingredients- 1 bowl of rice cake for soup (tteokguk tteok), about 150g
- 1/2 bag of bean sprouts (about 50g)
- 1/2 head of well-fermented kimchi (about 200g)
- 1L (about 5 cups) of water
Seasoning & Broth Base- 10 dried anchovies for broth
- 10 dried anchovies for broth
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, chop the kimchi into bite-sized pieces, about 1cm wide. In a pot, combine the chopped kimchi, rinsed bean sprouts, and 10 dried anchovies (with guts removed if desired, for a cleaner taste). Pour in 1L of water. Boiling these ingredients together will naturally extract a deep umami flavor from the anchovies, creating a rich and refreshing broth without needing a separate dashi. Let it simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the kimchi becomes tender.
Step 2
Once the kimchi is sufficiently cooked and soft, add the rice cakes for soup (tteokguk tteok). Continue to boil for another few minutes until the rice cakes are soft and chewy. Gently stir to prevent them from sticking together. This should take about 3-5 minutes.
Step 3
After the rice cakes are cooked, add 1 bowl of cooked rice to the pot. Stir well to break up any clumps of rice and allow it to integrate with the soup. Let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
Step 4
When the soup is bubbling and all ingredients are cooked through and delicious, turn off the heat. Ladle into bowls and enjoy while hot. For an extra kick, you can sprinkle a little black pepper. This Gangjuk is the perfect dish to warm you up from the inside out on a cold winter day!
