Siraegi Doenjang Guk (시래기국)
sounds like trash, tastes deliciousThis is one of my favorite soups. It is made mainly of siraegi which is radish leaves. As a kid, I would always remember the name of this soup by thinking of trash. This is because trash in korean is sseulegi, which sounds so similar to siraegil. So that’s why whenever I mention this soup to my friends, they always first think of trash/garbage. However, this soup is far from trash! It’s delicious! :D
This soup requires the leaves from Korean radish and not regular radish. I always prefer to use the dried ones you can buy at the Korean market since it’s easy to store and have on hand. However, if you have fresh Korean radish leaves, you can also use those!
Also, I do not have exact measurements for this recipe. Measure with your heart! :D
Ingredients
100 grams dried radish leaves
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 heaping spoons Doenjang, Korean bean paste
1 spoon Gochugaru, Korean red pepper flakes
Sesame oil
Mirin or cooking wine
2 Kelp and anchovy broth packets
1/2 onion, sliced
1 jalapeño, sliced
Perilla seeds, crushed, optional
1 green onion, sliced
Soup soy sauce
Directions
Submerge your 100 grams dried siraegi in a bowl of water and let it sit overnight to soak.
Once fully hydrated, drain your bowl of water. Boil a large pot of water over high heat. Add your siraegi and cover the pot with a lid. Let it cook for 1-1.5 hours, making sure to refill the pot with hot water if it runs low. After the siraegi is fully cooked, remove it from the pot and rinse it with cold water 3 times. Drain your siraegi of any excess water.
Now cut your siraegi into bite-sized pieces and add it to a bowl. Add to it, 2 heaping spoonfuls doenjang, 1 spoonful gochugaru, 4 cloves of garlic (minced), a drizzle of sesame oil, and some mirin. Mix everything together and then let the siraegi sit and marinate for 5-10 minutes.
Add water to a large pot and then add 2 kelp and anchovy broth packets. You can make your own dashi if you like. Add your siraegi into the pot as well and heat everything over high heat. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes remove the broth packets.
Add 1/2 an onion and jalapeño to the soup. Let it cook over a simmer for 15-20 minutes more. Then add sliced green onion and the perilla powder. Mix and serve with rice. Enjoy!
