Foodie Goodie | Kongnamul Guk (Korean Bean Sprout Soup).

It's 21°C outside, and boy, it sure is chilly. Times like this call for a hot cup of cocoa (complete with marshmallows, hehe) or better yet, a piping hot bowl of soup.

I've been craving for Kongnamul Guk (bean sprout soup) since the other day, but since there's no Korean restaurant within my area, I decided to just learn the recipe and cook it myself. I'm sharing the recipe below, in case you'd like to give this dish a try. It's very easy to make, and the ingredients don't cost that much (they're quite cheap, really). This healthy dish is low in calories and packed with vitamin C. It's great for hang-overs, and when added with the chili flakes, makes a good cure for colds as well.

Kongnamul Guk

Ingredients:
3 cups soybean sprouts
6 cups water
15 pieces dried anchovies
2 tsp garlic, minced
3 Tbsp green onions, chopped
2 tsp salt
1 piece kelp, dried
1 Tbsp gochukaru/red chili pepper flakes (optional)

Procedure:
1. Wash the soybean sprouts. Be sure to remove any spoiled tails (those that are brown in color), and drain them afterwards.
2. In a pot, boil the water on high heat. Add the anchovies and kelp in a strainer, and submerge it into the boiling water.
3. Let it boil with a lid on medium heat for 15 minutes. Skim off the foams. Remove anchovies and kelp from the broth.
4. Add the soybean sprouts into the broth. Boil with a lid on high heat for 10 minutes. Make sure to boil the bean sprouts with a lid. Otherwise it can result in a slightly unpleasant smell.
5. Add the garlic, chopped green onion, and red chili pepper flakes. Let it boil for 1-2 minutes.
6. Season with salt. You may choose to add more, so season it gradually while tasting the soup.
7. Turn off the heat, and serve in a bowl.

Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.