Gamjatang is one of the most popular Korean Hangover soups. Once you try it, you’ll be surprised by the deep broth and the tender meat between the bones. Seriously, you can’t help falling in love with this! Alright, are you guys ready? Let’s get started!
Gamjatang (3-4 servings)
Ingredients:
- 4.4 lb (2kg) pork spine (or neck bones)
- 3 liters water
- 6 oz (180g) green onions, (1/2 green onion for garnish)
- 8 Napa cabbage leaves (17 oz, 500g)
- 2-3 Yukon Gold potatoes
- 10 perilla leaves
- 1-2 chili peppers
Seasoning Paste:
- 5 tbsp Korean chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp Korean soybean paste (doenjang)
- 1 tbsp Korean chili paste (gochujang)
- 2 tbsp mirin (or water)
- 1 tbsp Korean beef stock powder (dasida)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 5 tbsp toasted, ground perilla seeds powder (들깨가루)
Dipping Sauce:
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp Korean mustard (연겨자) (or wasabi)
Instructions:
PREP BONES
1. If you’re using frozen ones, soak them in cold water for at least 3 hours and change the water 2 or 3 times.
2. Blanch them for about 5 minutes. Thoroughly rinse under cold water. Be careful because they can be pretty sharp!
3. In a large pot, add the bones, water (3 liters), and green onions. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Once it’s bubbling hot, reduce the heat to medium heat. Using a spoon (or ladle), skim that off. Cover and let it continue to boil for about 1 hour.
PREP VEGETABLES
1. Cut the Napa cabbage in half. Pull this apart and do this one more time. Cut off the core.
2. Cut the potatoes in half. Thinly slice the green onion for garnish.
3. Prepare the perilla leaves. Cut off the stems. Fold in half lengthwise and roughly chop them into long strips.
4. Thinly slice the chili peppers.
5. Blanch the cabbage. Once they get softened, rinse and squeeze out the water. Tear into long strips.
MAKE SEASONING PASTE
In a small container, mix together Korean chili pepper flakes, garlic, Korean soybean paste, Korean chili paste, mirin, Korean beef stock powder, fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder, black pepper, and perilla seeds powder.
MAKE DIPPING SAUCE
In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, and Korean mustard (or wasabi).
COOK PORK BONE SOUP
1. Remove the green onions from the pot. Take out the bones and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. For pork bone soup, we need 8 cups (or 2 liters) of the broth, so add more water if it’s necessary.
3. Add the potatoes, cabbage, and seasoning paste to the broth. Stir to combine. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for about 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Once the potatoes are cooked through, add the bones and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. (Optionally, in another pot, stack up all the pieces one by one.) Add the remaining vegetables (green onion, chili peppers, perilla leaves) and the soup.
6. Sprinkle on the perilla seeds powder. Once it’s back up to a boil, you can start eating. Serve with hot rice and dipping sauce. Enjoy~!
ADDITIONAL TIPS
- As a finisher, you can also add some instant ramyun noodles or make fried rice with it.
- Making fried rice with leftover broth is actually quite easy. You just need to add a bowl of rice into the leftover broth (1 or 2 ladles) and mix with some chopped kimchi, seasoned (roasted) seaweed, and toasted sesame oil (1 tsp).
WATCH FULL VIDEO
Gamjatang (Korean Pork Bone Soup)
4
servingsIngredients
4.4 lb (2 kg) pork spine (or neck bones)
3 liters water
6 oz (180g) green onions (1/2 green onion for garnish)
8 Napa cabbage leaves (17 oz, 500g)
2-3 Yukon Gold potatoes
10 perilla leaves
1-2 chili peppers
- Seasoning Paste:
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp mirin (or water)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
1 tsp black pepper
5 tbsp toasted, ground perilla seeds powder (들깨가루)
- Dipping Sauce:
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp Korean mustard (연겨자) (or wasabi)
Directions
- Prep Bones
- (If you’re using frozen ones, soak them in cold water for at least 3 hours and change the water 2 or 3 times.) Blanch them for about 5 minutes. Thoroughly rinse under cold water. Be careful because they can be pretty sharp!
- In a large pot, add the bones, water (3 liters), and green onions. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Once it’s bubbling hot, reduce the heat to medium heat. Using a spoon (or ladle), skim that off. Cover and let it continue to boil for about 1 hour.
- Prep Vegetables
- Cut the napa cabbage in half. Pull this apart and do this one more time. Cut off the core.
- Cut the potatoes in half. Thinly slice the green onion for garnish. Prepare the perilla leaves. Cut off the stems. Fold in half lengthwise and roughly chop them into long strips. Thinly slice the chili peppers.
- Blanch the cabbage. Once they get softened, rinse and squeeze out the water. Tear into long strips.
- Make Seasoning Paste and Dipping Sauce
- In a small container, mix together Korean chili pepper flakes, garlic, Korean soybean paste, Korean chili paste, mirin, Korean beef stock powder, fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder, black pepper, and perilla seeds powder.
- In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, and Korean mustard (or wasabi).
- Cook Pork Bone Soup
- Remove the green onions from the pot. Take out the bones and transfer to a large mixing bowl. For pork bone soup, we need 8 cups (or 2 liters) of the broth, so add more water if it’s necessary. Add the potatoes, cabbage, and seasoning paste to the broth. Stir to combine. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are cooked through, add the bones and cook for another 5 minutes.
- (Optionally, in another pot, stack up all the pieces one by one.) Add the remaining vegetables (green onion, chili peppers, perilla leaves) and the soup. Sprinkle on the perilla seeds powder. Once it’s back up to a boil, you can start eating. Serve with hot rice and dipping sauce. Enjoy~!
Notes
- 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 240 ml