Korean soups and stews

By Bernard Rowan

It's winter in much of the Northern Hemisphere, and despite the growing effects of global climate change, it's cold. In Chicago, we experienced a polar vortex with some of the coldest temperatures on record last week. I also traveled through parts of South Dakota and Iowa that had even colder temperatures and blizzard conditions. Amid all this, I found myself wanting to take some wonderful Korean bowls of soup, and I did so. Let's discuss delicious Korean soups and stews.

I love "seolleongtang," a soup made by boiling beef bones until the broth gets a milky appearance. Flavored with thin noodles, green onions and perhaps some chili flake, it's a perfect soup to enjoy any time of year, but especially when it's cold. It's also served with "kkakdugi," radish kimchi, a delicious and hearty complement. Go easy on the flake salt that's usually placed out to put on the meat. The soup's own flavor satisfies, as does the delicious beef.

I make a good "doenjang jjigae," which is soybean paste soup. The broth often is made from small fish and then the soup includes onions, radish, and other vegetables. The soybean paste adds the special taste. Typically enjoy this stew soup at the end of a meal with rice. It's not the idea, but I put some rice in my soups and stews. It simplifies eating and doesn't detract from the food's taste.

For health conscious and adventurous eaters, try a cousin of doenjang jjigae called "cheongguk jang." It's made from the fermented beans that source soybean paste, and it's a much more intense flavor. It's prized by many and a Korean favorite. However, mind the aroma! Its pungency strikes me as off-putting. I remember rounding a corner in Apkujung's Hyundai Department store to meet the wafting odors of this stew.

I've written about another favorite of mine, "sundubu jjigae," spicy tofu soup. Korean soups with the silky and almost pudding like texture of fresh tofu can't be beaten. The chili's heat complements tofu's bland taste. With onions and other ingredients, it's a comforting dish on a cold winter day. A different bowl but also featuring heat is spicy beef soup, called "yukgaejang." I recently enjoyed a big bowl of it and found that it did wonders to clear my sinuses. Be careful! If one has a sensitive stomach, don't drink all the broth. It's hard on the innards, and it's not rude to leave it in one's soup bowl.

"Maeuntang" also is a lasting mainstay, comprised of fish eggs as a main ingredient and wonderful for a change. I've also enjoyed "gamjatang," made from the large pork bones. On some occasions, it was more bones than soup. The bits of meat from the bones make a delicious bite.

I love beef, even in an era of health consciousness and concern about red meat, but I'm not a fan of "galbitang." The soup often tastes sweet, as I the meat is prepared in a sweet tenderizing marinade. However, it has its supporters. I prefer "gomtang."

"Samgyetang" is one of my lasting favorites, and it's good any time of year. The small whole chicken, a delicious Korean black or dark-skinned chicken, filled with sticky rice and ginseng, is just wonderful. I may have to rank seolleongtang as my second favorite, as I write this description. The little date in this soup absorbs impurities from the chicken. I was told not to eat it.

Finally, I'll close by noting that some of the psychology and gastronomy I've learned suggest my thinking about soups and stews is wrong. We should oppose cold to hot, so in fact we might do better to eat cold soups in winter and hot soups in summer. This makes me think of "naengmyeon," the cold noodle soup served in an icy broth, either mild or "bibim," which is its hot cousin! The wonderful boiled egg, pear, and other accompanying vegetables, with buckwheat noodles (though there are many kinds), make for a memorable dish.

I've just scratched the surface, but I hope you'll beat winter's doldrums and chill by taking on some of the wonderful soups and stews from Korean cuisine. They make for good and healthy eating and a great way to enjoy time with others. Enjoy!

Bernard Rowan (browan10@yahoo.com) is associate provost for contract administration and professor of political science at Chicago State University. He is a past fellow of the Korea Foundation and former visiting professor at Hanyang University.

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