Haejangguk (Korean Pork Bone Hangover Soup)
Haejangguk is Korea's iconic hangover soup, a thick and fiery bowl designed to restore the body after a night of drinking. The base is a long-simmered pork spine broth that delivers a deep, porky richness. Napa cabbage outer leaves, called ugeoji, are seasoned with doenjang and garlic and added to the broth, contributing a chewy, fibrous texture. Congealed ox blood, known as seonji, is a traditional addition that lends an iron-rich density and dark visual contrast. Gochugaru provides a persistent, forehead-sweating heat that Koreans believe helps flush out toxins and clear the head. The finished soup is served bubbling in a stone pot, and the first few spoonfuls tend to produce an involuntary sigh of relief. Dedicated haejangguk restaurants open before dawn to serve construction workers and late-night revelers, and the dish has been a fixture of Korean culinary tradition for centuries.
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Instructions
- 1
Soak pork bones 30 minutes, blanch in boiling water and rinse.
- 2
Simmer bones in fresh water for 2 hours to make broth.
- 3
Season soaked dried cabbage with doenjang and garlic.
- 4
Add cabbage, blood, and red pepper to broth; simmer 30 more minutes.
- 5
Season with soy sauce and serve with green onion.
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