Haejang Guk (Hangover Soup)

Ingredients

• 60 g dried napa cabbage leaves (ugeoji) (Rinse well and soak in warm water until softened; squeeze dry and cut into bite-size pieces.)
• 4 cup beef bone broth (Korean-style beef bone broth is preferred; homemade broth may be very gelatinous. Standard beef broth or water may be used, with additional beef, kelp, or dried mushrooms to deepen the flavor.)
• 2 tbsp doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste.)
• 3 clove garlic (Minced.)
• 1 tsp fresh ginger (Finely grated or minced.)
• 1 tbsp Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) (Adjust to taste.)
• 2 scallions (Thinly sliced, plus extra for serving if desired.)
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (For finishing.)
• fine salt (To taste; the broth and doenjang may already be salty.)
• black pepper (To taste.)

Steps

1. 1

   Rinse the dried napa cabbage leaves thoroughly to remove any grit. Soak them in warm water until pliable, about 10 to 15 minutes, then drain, squeeze out excess water, and cut into bite-size pieces.

2. 2

   Place the beef bone broth in a medium pot and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

3. 3

   Add the doenjang and whisk until it dissolves fully into the broth, with no large lumps remaining.

4. 4

   Add the prepared napa cabbage, garlic, ginger, and gochugaru. Stir to distribute the seasonings and return the soup to a simmer.

5. 5

   Cover partially and simmer gently for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the cabbage is completely tender and the broth tastes deeply savory. Stir occasionally and avoid a hard boil, which can make the broth cloudy and cause the cabbage to break apart.

6. 6

   Add the sliced scallions and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, just until softened and fragrant.

7. 7

   Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper only if needed. Finish with the toasted sesame oil, then ladle into two bowls and serve hot.

Notes

The accessible source excerpt did not include the members-only ingredient list or method; the ingredients and directions above are a reconstruction from the dish description and standard haejang guk technique, not a verbatim extraction. The source specifically recommends thick homemade beef bone broth or Korean-style packaged beef bone broth. If using ordinary beef broth or water, enrich it with a small piece of beef, a beef bone, kelp, or dried mushrooms. The author notes that ugeoji is made from the tougher outer napa leaves and that coagulated blood (seonji) is another traditional addition, but it is not included here.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main
• Korean
• East Asian
• comfort food
• hangover food
• one-pot
• dairy-free