Kongnamul Guk

Ingredients

• 400g soybean sprouts (kongnamul)
• 1.2 litres water
• 10g dried kelp (dashima), a piece about 10cm square
• 15g dried anchovies, heads and guts removed
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp gochugaru, optional
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Before you cook

• Rinse the soybean sprouts in several changes of cold water and pick off any brown husks or limp tails
• Remove the heads and guts from the dried anchovies
• Mince the garlic and slice the spring onions

Steps

1. Put the water, kelp and anchovies in a pot and bring them slowly to a boil over medium heat.
2. Take out the kelp as soon as the water boils, or the broth will turn slimy.
3. Simmer the anchovies for 8 minutes, then strain them out and discard them.
4. Return the clear broth to the pot and add the soybean sprouts.
5. Put the lid on and boil for 7 minutes without lifting it once, since letting steam out mid-cook makes the sprouts smell beany.
6. Take the lid off and add the minced garlic and soup soy sauce.
7. Simmer for 3 minutes more so the garlic loses its rawness.
8. Taste the broth and season with salt, adding it a pinch at a time.
9. Stir in the gochugaru if you want a little heat.
10. Scatter over the spring onions and add the sesame oil.
11. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve it steaming with rice and kimchi.