Short Rib Soup

From Won Kim

Week two on the soup trail! Won adapted this soup from a recipe provided by his mother. What with the soaking, simmering, straining, and more soaking, it’ll take the better part of a winter day — but it’s worth it. The soup is strangely light and seems almost unseasoned at first bite. But it soon reveals a depth of rich flavor for which, apparently, there are no shortcuts.

Ingredients
5-6 thick cut beef short ribs
1 bunch of daikon radish with the greens
1 whole head garlic
1 large onion or 2 medium onion
1 leek
1 bunch green onion
1 fennel bulb
2 tablesspoons ground ginger
3 ounces of liquid amino or soy sauce
2 star anise
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Soak ribs in cold water for 2-3 hours. Pour out excess water and transfer to a pot covering the short ribs with fresh cold water and boil for 2 hours. Pour out liquid and rinse ribs in cold water and then transfer to pot again, this time pour plenty of water almost 3 gallons or more. Bring to a boil and then simmer, skimming fat and other beef gunk that’ll rise to the top. You are going to let this simmer for almost 5-6 hours (the longer the better). Meanwhile thinly slice the leeks, onions, radish greens, fennel, and garlic. Peel and cut daikon radish into half moon shapes. In a separate container, combine the soy sauce, oil, ginger powder, star anise, and vinegar. After the stock is all skimmed and clean, pour in flavor mixture and vegetables and let it go for another couple of hours. Salt and pepper along the way and season to your desire. After soup is ready, discard bones and shred meat and enjoy!