Kalbi Tang — Short Rib Soup

This is a luxurious beef and noodle soup that is embellished with a spoonful of chunky ginger-soy-chile-scallion yangnyum sauce. It’s wonderful on cold winter days. The noodles are springy dangmyeon, sometimes labeled sweet potato noodles or Korean vermicelli, which stand up to long cooking. This soup begins with the traditional method of making a clear broth by cleaning and soaking the bones to remove some of the blood before they are simmered. I also like to stir a little kimchi juice into my bowl of soup, but that’s just me.

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Step 1

Cut between the bones to create smaller pieces of meat with a bone attached to each. Soak the ribs in water to cover for about 1 hour to draw out the blood. Drain the ribs.

Step 2

Put the ribs in a large pot with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 gallon (3.8 L) water, onion, scallions, garlic, and ginger. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the pot cook at a simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add the radish and let cook for at least another half hour or until the meat and radishes are tender.

Step 3

Leaving the ribs and radish in the pot, remove the rest of the vegetables and aromatics and discard them.

Step 4

Turn off the heat and skim off any fat. (At this point you can cool the soup and refrigerate it to serve the next day. The fat will solidify, making it easier to remove.)

Step 5

Stir in the soy sauce and fish sauce, if using. Add the noodles and let them simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Add the pepper, and more salt to taste.

Step 6

To make the yangnyum sauce, whisk all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.

Step 7

Serve the soup garnished with egg ribbons, shilgochu, and scallions, and place small bowls of yangnyum sauce on the side.