Siraegi Guk (Korean Perilla Radish Greens Soup)
Quick answer
Deulkkae siraegi guk is a rich, nutty Korean soup made by simmering dried radish greens that have been pre-seasoned with doenjang and soup soy sauce in an anchovy broth f...
What makes this special
- Deulkkae siraegi guk simmers doenjang-seasoned radish greens in a rich, nutty perilla and anchovy broth.
- Pre-seasoning dried radish greens with doenjang drives fermented flavor into the fibers
- Adding perilla powder in two stages gives uniform milky thickness without lumps
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Feel through 300g of boiled radish greens and peel away any tough outer skins with your fingers.
- 2 Add 1.5 tablespoons soybean paste, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 1 tablesp...
- 3 Put the seasoned greens in a pot with 1.6L anchovy stock and set it over medium heat.
Deulkkae siraegi guk is a rich, nutty Korean soup made by simmering dried radish greens that have been pre-seasoned with doenjang and soup soy sauce in an anchovy broth for at least twenty minutes. Siraegi, which refers to radish leaves that have been dried and then rehydrated before cooking, carries a concentrated earthiness and a fibrous, chewy texture that fresh greens cannot replicate. Massaging the greens with doenjang and garlic before they go into the pot allows the fermented seasoning to penetrate into the fibers over the extended cooking time rather than merely coating the surface. The anchovy broth beneath provides a clean, saline umami that supports the deeper, fermented notes of the doenjang without competing. Perilla powder added in two separate additions dissolves evenly through the broth without clumping, turning the liquid an opaque, milky white and thickening it to a consistency that clings to each spoonful and gives the soup its characteristic weight. Green onion added during the final three minutes of cooking contributes a fresh, sharp aroma that sits lightly on top of the perilla fragrance, completing the layered, hearty character of the soup.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Feel through 300g of boiled radish greens and peel away any tough outer skins with your fingers.
Cut the greens into even 5cm lengths so they soften evenly and fit comfortably on a spoon.
- 2Season
Add 1.5 tablespoons soybean paste, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce to the greens.
Massage firmly so the seasoning works between the fibers instead of staying only on the surface.
- 3Control
Put the seasoned greens in a pot with 1.6L anchovy stock and set it over medium heat.
Once it comes to a boil, stir through any floating paste so the broth seasons evenly.
- 4Control
Lower the heat to medium low and simmer for at least 20 minutes.
Move on when the greens loosen and become tender, and the broth smells earthy and savory rather than sharply salty.
- 5Control
Add the 4 tablespoons of perilla powder in two batches, stirring immediately after each addition.
When no dry clumps remain and the broth turns milky white, simmer for 10 more minutes.
- 6Control
Add 1 sliced green onion stalk and simmer for just 3 more minutes.
If the soup is too thick, loosen it with a little more stock, then turn off the heat once the texture is spoonable.
After the steps
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Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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Korean Dried Radish Greens Doenjang Kalguksu
This noodle soup features dried radish greens and soybean paste in a base of anchovy and kelp stock. The fermented soybean paste provides a savory foundation while the radish greens add an earthy bitterness. Adding onion and zucchini during the simmering process introduces a natural sweetness that balances the saltiness of the paste. A spoonful of perilla seed powder at the end gives the broth a toasted, nutty finish. Fresh kalguksu noodles thicken the soup as they cook, taking on a chewy yet soft texture. To ensure a clean taste and better texture, the radish greens are boiled, rinsed in cold water, and squeezed before being added to the pot. Toasting the dried anchovies in the pot before adding water removes any fishy scents from the stock. Since different types of soybean paste vary in saltiness, it helps to add the paste in small increments while tasting. Mixing in a small amount of cheonggukjang provides a stronger fermented character to the finished soup.
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Korean Radish Greens Perilla Soup
Mucheong-deulkkae-guk is a Korean soup that brings together two of the cuisine's most deeply comforting flavors - fermented soybean paste and ground perilla seeds - building them over a base of dried radish greens. The greens are boiled until fully tender, then worked with doenjang until the paste clings to every fiber, allowing the fermented soy flavor to penetrate thoroughly before the soup is even assembled. Simmered in a stock made from dried anchovies and kelp and enriched with a generous scoop of perilla seed powder, the broth shifts from translucent to an opaque, creamy white as the powder disperses. That transformation signals the moment when the soup reaches its characteristic nutty density - a flavor that sits somewhere between roasted sesame and warm earth. Garlic and green onion establish the aromatic structure, while the chewy resistance of the radish greens provides a textural contrast that distinguishes this soup from smoother versions made with tofu or mushrooms. The broth is substantial enough to pour directly over steamed rice, where the perilla richness coats each grain and becomes a natural base for mixing. This is a dish rooted in the practical food culture of Korean rural households, where radish greens harvested in autumn were dried and kept through winter as a pantry staple. The combination of doenjang and perilla creates an umami depth that is quietly compelling - the kind of soup that rarely appears on restaurant menus but occupies a permanent place in the memory of anyone who grew up eating it.
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Similar recipes
Korean Dried Radish Greens Beef Soup
Siraegi-soegogi-guk combines beef brisket or shank with dried radish greens in a doenjang-seasoned broth that is simultaneously meaty, earthy, and fermented. The beef simmers first, building a clear stock with substantial body, before the pre-boiled and softened radish greens are introduced. Doenjang dissolves into the stock and acts as a bridge between the animal richness of the beef and the vegetal, slightly bitter quality of the greens, making both taste more complete than they would alone. An optional spoonful of gochugaru adds warmth and color, shifting the soup from mild to gently spicy. Garlic and green onion handle the aromatic duties, and a scoop of ground perilla seeds - stirred in near the end - gives the broth a creamy, nutty finish that softens the edges. This soup is one of the more filling options in the Korean guk repertoire because both the beef and the fibrous greens provide substance and chew. A single bowl, ladled generously over rice, can replace an entire meal without any additional banchan. The flavors deepen overnight, making leftovers an anticipated breakfast rather than an afterthought.
Korean Dried Radish Greens Perilla Stew
This stew simmers rehydrated dried radish greens in rice-rinse water thickened with a generous four tablespoons of perilla seed powder. A small amount of doenjang and gochujang provides savory depth, and using rice-rinse water instead of plain water adds a natural starchiness that helps the perilla powder integrate into the broth more smoothly. The perilla powder creates a creamy, nutty soup with a pale beige hue, and the chewy, fibrous texture of the radish greens contrasts with the richness of the liquid. The radish greens need to be fully rehydrated and pre-boiled so they absorb the broth evenly during cooking rather than remaining tough. Onion and green onion add layers of sweetness and fragrance, and seasoning gradually while the stew cooks produces a more balanced result than adding everything upfront. Served bubbling in an earthenware pot on cold days, this is one of the most comforting staples in Korean winter home cooking.
Korean Dried Radish Greens Soup
Siraegi-guk is a Korean dried radish greens soup that transforms a humble preserved vegetable into something deeply flavorful through the medium of doenjang. The greens are dried in autumn, then reconstituted by boiling until soft - a process that concentrates their earthy, slightly bitter character. When simmered in stock with dissolved soybean paste, that concentrated flavor meets fermented umami and the result is a broth richer than the ingredient list would suggest. Adding ground perilla seeds pushes the soup further, turning the liquid creamy and nutty. Garlic and green onion form the aromatic backbone. The soup works well without meat, but many cooks stir-fry a small amount of beef in perilla oil before adding the liquid, which introduces a beefy depth that rounds out the overall profile. The critical step is managing the initial boiling of the dried greens: not enough, and the bitterness overwhelms; too much, and the greens become bland. Experienced Korean cooks leave just enough edge to give the soup its distinctive character - a pleasant astringency that makes doenjang taste more interesting rather than less. Siraegi-guk is pantry cooking at its finest, relying on dried goods and fermented paste to produce a bowl that tastes like slow, patient effort.