Yukgaejang is a Korean soup traditionally used to warm up bodies during a rainy season, warm hearts at a funeral, or combat heat exhaustion with spiciness. It is made with beef or chicken, vegetables, and plenty of pepper flakes, pepper oil, and fresh chilies. The spiciness can be adjusted to taste.
In Korea, some foods more than others are traditionally used to warm up bodies during a rainy season, warm hearts at a funeral, or even combat heat exhaustion with spiciness. A soup called yukgaejang is an ideal recipe for such occasions. It may look like a simple shredded beef soup, but many chefs add varying amounts of greens and plenty of pepper flakes, pepper oil, and fresh chilies to give this nutritious dish a savory flavor of lingering heat.
The protein in yukgaejang can be chicken, but it’s often minced meat – the better the quality, the better the soup. Beef round, sirloin, brisket, and even insides like tripe are regularly used to add solid flavor to these types of Korean soups. Common vegetables used to accompany the meat are green beans, bean sprouts, green and red peppers, onions, garlic, and even fernbrake, which are boiled sections of fern called bracken. Rice is often added to soup or served on the side.
Yukgaejang is made like most broth soups. You start by marinating chunks of beef or even chicken – for a dish called dak yukgaejang – in simple ingredients like garlic, salt, oil and some red pepper flakes to start incorporating the heat into the dish. Some people let the meat soak overnight in the refrigerator, but a few hours will suffice. The pieces are then simmered with chopped onions, soy sauce and more garlic in a pot with beef stock.
When the meat is almost done, the chopped vegetables are blanched and then quickly caramelized in a hot pan before being added to the broth. This adds colour, flavor and nutrition. Final flavorings include chili oil and flakes, diced chiles, and finally shallots, requiring the least amount of cooking time. The last step before serving is to taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste.
This traditionally spicy yukgaejang is often made less intense to include those with less accommodating constitutions. All or some of the pepper oil and flakes can be removed from the recipe, leaving just the chiles and green onions. Another option is to remove all spicy ingredients. Some Koreans believe that dishes like spicy soup not only help warm up the body during cold spells but also acclimate the body during periods of hot temperatures.
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