Spicy Beef Soup with Taro Stems and Fernbrake (vegan)

Ingredients:

soup stock:

• 2 cups Shitaki Mushroom Broth*

• 1 large leek

• 1 tbsp black peppercorns

• 1 large onion, peeled with two crossing slits facing the top

• 1lb daikon or 1/2 of large daikon

• 15 cups of water
  *Shitaki Mushroom Broth: 2 1/2 cups of water and 20 pieces of dried shitaki mushrooms in a bowl soaked for 20 mins. After the mushrooms are reconstituted, squeeze out the excess liquid in a bowl. Set aside the mushrooms to be used later in the recipe. The excess liquid is about 2 cups of broth that will be used in the soup stock.

Soup base: 

• 20 garlic cloves, minced or approximately 1/3 cup

• 1/2 cup gochugaru (red pepper flakes)

• 1/4 cup sesame oil 

• 2 tbsp salt, divided (first 1 tbsp for the soup base, second 1 tbsp for tasting)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 4 tbsp soy sauce 

• 1 tbsp gukgangjang (soup soy sauce)* (optional)
  *Soup soy sauce: A strong and fermented soy sauce made from the leftover liquids of fermented soy bean paste.

Vegetable Mix:

• 1/2 cup or 4 oz gosari (dried fernbrake) To reconstitute dry gosari, follow the directions on the package

• 1/2 cup or 4 oz torandae (dried taro stems) To reconstitute dry torandae, follow the directions on the package

• 1/2 package of mung bean sprouts

• 10 green onions, washed and drained

• 20 shitaki mushrooms, reconstituted and chopped into slices

Plating:

• cooked rice

• green onions chopped

• a handful of dangmyeon (potato starch noodles or vermicelli) soaked in warm water for at least 45 mins

dangmyeon (glass vermicelli noodles) 

Gosari and torandae Preparation:

(You can follow the directions on your package but generally this is how they are prepared.) 

• GOSARI: Soak in hot water for at least 24 hours. Then boil them for 2 hours. Drain and squeeze out the excess liquid. Then with your fingers, rip the stems into 3 inch pieces. Feel the stems between your thumb and forefinger and see if all the parts feel pliable. The parts that are not flexible should be torn away.

• TORANDAE: For the torandae, boil for 1 hour. (No soaking required) Drain and squeeze out the excess liquid. Rip them into 3 inch pieces, then split them into thinner slits.

STEPS: 

SOUP STOCK

1. Fill 15 cups of water (approx. 3.5 quarts) and shitaki mushroom broth* in a large pot. In a disposable tea bag (I got mine for $1.50 at Daiso) place the peppercorns and drop the teabag into the pot. (You can also wrap the peppercorn in a cheesecloth). Add leek, onion, and daikon. Cover the lid, bring the pot to a boil then a low simmer for 30 minutes. Optional: I save vegetable "discards" that can add flavor to the soup such as the bottom stems of leftover mushrooms and hairy tops of green onions that I do not want to waste.

SOUP BASE

2. Heat a nonstick frying pan on medium high heat and add olive oil. Then add garlic, gochugaru, black pepper, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Add only 1 tbsp of salt. Stir frequently until the gochugaru absorbed the sesame oil and becomes a dark reddish brown paste. 

VEGETABLE MIX:

3. In a bowl, add torandae, gosari, green onions, and reconstituted shitaki mushrooms. Wear disposable gloves and add the red soup base into the bowl. Rub the red paste until the vegetables are evenly coated.

5. Let's return our attention to the soup stock. Drain the soup through a sieve so that you are only left with a clear broth. Carefully take out the daikon and let it cool on a cutting board. When it is safe to handle, slice the daikon into 1/4 inch bite sized pieces. The remaining wilted vegetables such as the leeks, onion, etc and tea bag can be thrown away.

6. In the clear soup stock, gently drop the red vegetable mix. Add the daikon slices. Then add 1 cup of water, 1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp soup soy sauce (optional). Add mungbean sprouts and cover the pot with a lid and bring the soup to a boil. Once it has reached a boil, lower the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes. Do a taste test and add salt and pepper fitting to your tastes. 

Plating

8. Place a handful of reconstituted potato starch noodles at the bottom of a serving bowl. Ladle hot soup over the potato starch noodles. The noodles will cook as you eat. On top of the soup, add freshly cracked black pepper and sprinkle some chopped green onions for a little color and freshness. Serve immediately with a bowl of rice. You did it! Enjoy!