Bukeot Guk

북엇국

(Dried Pollack Soup)

Bukeot guk is one of the easiest and quickest Korean soups to make and it is popular among Korean partygoers and drinkers. Its main ingredient, dried pollack, is known to have detoxifying and soothing effects that can fix one’s stomach and liver upset and overworked with alcohol. In Korean dramas, wives would be seen preparing this dish in the morning to cure their husbands’ hangover—pounding and beating the dried pollack with all their might to release their frustrations towards their drunken husbands.

MAIN INGREDIENTs

• 30 grams dried pollacks
• 200 grams white radish
• 25 grams small green onions
• 1 egg
• 6 cups water

Seasonings

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, as needed
• a little salt

HOW TO prepare

1. Lightly rinse dried pollacks with water, then squeeze out the excess water. Debone and tear pollacks into strips.
2. Julienne white radish.
3. Chop small green onions or cut into 2-inch pieces.
4. Beat egg, then set aside.

HOW TO COOK

1. Put sesame oil in a pot and stir-fry white radish for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the dried pollacks and stir-fry for another minute.
2. Add water and the rest of the seasonings, then boil over medium heat for 10 minutes.
3. Pour egg thinly and slowly.
4. Add small green onions and turn heat off quickly. Turning heat off immediately after adding small green onions helps in preserving its lively color.

chef’s notes

1. In rinsing the dried pollack, dip and pull it out of the water quickly. Do not soak it for too long to keep its nutrients.
2. In Korea, Bukeot Guk is known as the best hangover soup.
3. You can replace radish with bean sprouts which is also good for hangover. Bean sprouts contain asparagine which breaks down acetaldehyde that builds up after drinking.

 

This Dish Appears in the Following Korean Drama/s:

• Oh My Ghost (2015) - TVN
• Dear My Friends - (2016) - TVN

   

 

CHEF REGGIE’S TIPS

ADD-ONS

• I will leave the recipe as it is, as its efficacy as a hangover soup is beyond question. I would, however, fortify its health benefits by adding our most potent leafy greens before serving. You may add any of the following or a combination of:

  kamote / sweet potato tops

  kolitis/uray (amaranth) / malunggay leaves

  saluyot leaves

  dahon ng sili

• You may also blanch the greens, drain, then season with salt and pepper and toss in Korean sesame oil. Serve as a side dish.