Soups & Stews

Kongnamul Mu-guk (Soybean Sprout and Radish Soup)

Name: Kongnamul Mu-guk (Soybean Sprout and Radish Soup)
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: soybean sprouts 200 g; Korean radish (mu) 150 g; Korean leek (daepa) or scallions 1 Korean leek; large dried anchovies (for stock) 5; water 800 ml; minced garlic 1 tsp; guk-ganjang (soup soy sauce) 1 tsp; salt to taste

Add the soybean sprouts to rapidly boiling broth, cover, and cook them thoroughly, then add the Korean leek once the radish turns translucent. Lifting the lid too often leaves a raw, grassy smell.

Prep 8 min · Cook 27 min · Total 35 min · 2 servings · Easy

한국어로 보기 (Korean version)

Steps

1
Rinse the bean sprouts under running water and skim off the loose hulls; if they smell sour, don't use them. Cut the radish into thin squares and slice the leek on the diagonal.
Use the sprouts the day you buy them if you can.
2
Steep the anchovies in the 800 ml water over medium heat for 7 minutes, then remove them.
3
When the broth comes to a rolling boil, add the radish, bean sprouts, and minced garlic, cover, and boil over medium heat for 8 minutes. Cook the sprouts thoroughly, until the stems turn translucent.
If the stems are still stiff after 8 minutes, boil 2 minutes more.
4
Season with soup soy sauce and salt, add the leek, boil 1 minute more, and turn off the heat.

Substitutions

Instead of	Use	How
dried anchovies	5 cm dried kelp (dasima)	Take the kelp out as soon as the water starts to boil so the broth doesn't turn slimy.
Korean radish	1/2 potato	Cut out any sprouts and green parts from the potato, and cook it thoroughly along with the bean sprouts.

Storing leftovers

Over time, the bean sprouts toughen in the broth and the broth turns cloudy. Cool, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and eat within 1 day; bring it to a full rolling boil again before eating. Bean sprouts turn tough and smell grassy when frozen, so don't freeze it.

Serve with

Rice, kimchi, and roasted seaweed (gim). The soup is clear, so a fried egg on the side works too.

Making more or less

Even if you add an extra handful of sprouts, use only enough water to cover the ingredients, and don't cut the 8-minute cooking time.

Before you cook

Don't eat soybean sprouts raw; boil them until the stems turn translucent.

Questions

How do I make kongnamul mu-guk without a grassy smell?

Opening and closing the lid after adding the bean sprouts tends to leave a raw, grassy smell. Pick one approach: either cover from the start and keep it covered until done, or boil it uncovered the whole time. Minced garlic and leek also help mask any lingering smell.