Cooking Attempt #18: Miso soup (된장국)

I haven't written an entry in French for awhile, I know. Isn't it ironic that as soon as I finally learn how to use certain conjugations properly, I can't muster up the energy to do it in real life? Blame it on the French composition homework. That will drain anybody. I like writing, just not for school. Unless I can make up really wild stuff (like a kid named Gerald Purplefork who starts having shortness of breath because his cleaning lady got fired for stealing and his house is now full of dust bunnies, hiYAH!), that is.

Anyhoo, here's the miso soup recipe I've been procrastinating on. I have to put it up, so that I can show my mom that the anchovies and soybean paste she gave me have not been wasted.

This is a Korean recipe, which uses dried anchovies and a special kind of dried seaweed which is thicker than nori (the stuff used to make sushi) to make the broth. You can use anything for the broth. Beef broth, chicken broth, vegetable broth, whatever. You can also add whatever you want in the soup. I'm starting to think that Koreans aren't very particular at all about their recipes. Anyway, here's what I used.

Water - 8 cups
Dried anchovies - 10 (more if you're using teeny ones)
Dried seaweed - a piece maybe 5cmx5cm big
Tofu - 1 package (usually 250g)
Potato - 1, chopped
Onion - 1, chopped
Soybean paste - 3~4 tbsp

This is probably the simplest recipe for miso soup. You can add spinach, long strips of cabbage, seaweed (the still-wet kind), meat, fish, etc etc. I'm thinking of adding kimchi pieces in it next time, to give it an extra kick.

Where was I?

Oh yeah.

So I added the anchovies and seaweed when the water started boiling and let it boil for 15~20 minutes. Then I fished them out, using chopsticks. You CAN leave the anchovies in, but you don't eat them and they start to slowly disintegrate, which is a turn off. The seaweed must be taken out or the soup will smell fishy.

Then you add the onion and potatoes and keep boiling.

When the potatoes are almost done cooking, you add the soybean paste and tofu. My mom likes to get really firm tofu and cut it up before adding it in. I like using softer tofu and let it break up on its own while I'm stirring the soup around. Add the soybean paste slowly so that it dissolves into the soup. But if the water's boiling anyway, it should do that without a problem.

Koreans always have a bowl of rice as their main meal and soup is never eaten on its own. Add portions of rice into the soup, mix it thoroughly and eat! Nyum.



Tomorrow, I make chicken teriyaki with noodles, based on Josh's stir fry recipe!

생각해 보니까 불어로 써본지 오래됐네요. 요즘 불어숙제가 많아서 쓰려고 해도 머리가 아파서 못 하겠어요. 여름에 불어 실력도 좀 더 낳아지면 그때 다시 시작할께요.

된장국은 몇주 전에 만든 건데, 바빠서 오늘 생각난 거에요. 멸치와 다시마로 국물을 냈는데, 다른 걸로도 할 수 있죠? 쇠고기나 닭고기도. 제 친구는 vegan인데, 야채로도 국물을 낼 수 있다고 하네요.

제가 만든 조리법은 아주 간단해요.

물 - 8컵
멸치 - 10개
다시마 - 1조각
두부 - 250g
감자 - 1개
양파 - 1개
된장 - 3~4숫갈

다음에 만들 때는 시금치나 김치를 넣어볼까 해요. 미역도 있으면 좋겠는데 어디서 구해야 할지 모르겠네요.

물이 끓기 시작할 때, 멸치와 다시마를 넣었어요. 15~20분 후에 건져냈어요. 엄마가 다시마는 비린내 난다고 하시네요. 멸치는 그냥 둬도 괜찮은데, 먹을 때 불편하니까 꺼냈어요. 감자와 양파를 넣고 계속 팔팔 끓이다가 거의 다 익었다 싶을때 된장을 천천히 풀었어요. 엄마는 찌개용 두부를 좋아하시는데, 저는 좀 더 말랑말랑한 두부를 썼어요. (세일을 해서... ㅋㅋ)

이틀쯤 계속 먹은 거 같아요. 역시 한국요리처럼 시원한 건 없더라구요.

내일은 치킨 테리야키 국수를 만들어 봅니다!