korean beef radish soup

This simple, delicious soup was a staple growing up.

As a kid growing up in a Korean household, this soup was served when dinner guests came over, or, you were the invited guests. I ate plenty of this growing up—while listening to adult chatter in the background involving church matters, an “unambitious” son or daughter who was a terrible listener and not terribly bright, or on the opposite side of the spectrum … a flex about a brilliant son/daughter who was perfect at playing piano/test taking/dating an equally perfect and brilliant (who was also Korean-American) significant other. To be honest, I was neither of those. Neither here nor there … perfectly, unexcitedly average by Korean standards … but I did learn how to make this soup—which honestly, I think is the biggest flex of all :)

Ingredients:

for two servings

• 3 cups of water

• 1 cup of peeled, sliced korean radish (1/8” thick, about 1.5 inches long)

• 2/3 cup of beef (3/4” long pieces, I used leftover brisket chunk)

• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon of fish sauce (powdered beef stock)

• 1 teaspoon of dasida

• 1/8 teaspoon of salt

Korean radish. Typically, the ones sold in stores are quite large, the size of (U.S.) footballs (and beyond). If they’re available, I like to cook with the smaller sized ones (size of a water bottle) because they’re easier to work with.

Dasida: powdered beef stock

Beef, sliced radish, garlic powder, dasida and fish sauce. Not pictured: salt.

Directions:

• Heat the 3 cups of water in a pot on medium high heat.

• When the water begins to boil, add the sliced radish and beef.

• Next, add the garlic powder, fish sauce, dasida and salt. Mix/stir to combine.

• Lower the heat to medium and cook the soup for 20 minutes.

Serve with a bowl of rice, kimchi and other assorted banchan (Korean side dishes). Enjoy!