감자탕 | Gamjatang (Korean Pork Bone Soup)

January 12, 2021

First time I had Gamjatang was when my friend bought me to a Gamjatang specialty restaurant in Los Angeles. Since then, this tasty dish has been in my mind. The soft potatoes, easily-separated pork neck bones, the flavorful spices in this Korean dish, all linger long in my head. I love it so much that I enjoy this dish alone near the 2019 Christmas when I was in Philly’s Chinatown. Sitting by the restaurant window, sipping the hot, steamy soup in the cold, chilly winter, I sweat my finals’ stress away and got to enjoy the precious time eating alone. I guess that’s also how I started falling in love with eating alone, no need to talk, no rush from eating, I have all the time and space to enjoy delicious foods by myself.

According to my Korean friend, the name Gamjatang comes from how Gamja could mean either potato or pork neck bone/meat around pork neck in Korean.

QUICK TAKEAWAYS

this recipe’s seasoning might bit a bit salty, I will suggest skip the soy sauce and use less fish sauce. Both doenjang (fermented soy bean paste) and gochujang (korean chili pepper paste) have high salt content already.
after taking onions, ginger, garlics and scallions out from pot, do not rush to add water. Put soybean sprouts, seasoned napa cabbages and potatoes in the pot first, this will lead to water level rise. If there is still not enough water, add some now.
- Veggies themselves also have large water content. I did not add any water and the pot remained full for even 40-50mins medium heat cooking.
crown daisies and perilla leaves give extra kick of flavors; they do not need to cook for long, 2-3mins will do.

RECIPE

Broth:

2-3lbs pork neck bones
1 medium onion, sliced
ginger slices
half garlic
1tbsp doenjang (fermented soy bean paste)
2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms
4 scallions, cut in chunks
3-4 red chili peppers/1 dried chili pepper

Stew:

1lb napa cabbage
2-3 medium potatoes
8oz soybean sprouts
3-4 red chili peppers
8 shishito peppers (optional)
8-10 perilla leaves
1 bunch crown daisies
1 scallions in small slices for garnish

Seasoning Sauce:

half garlic, minced
2-3tbsp gochugaru (chili pepper powder)
2-3tbsp gochujang (Korean chili pepper paste)
1-2tbsp doenjang (fermented soy bean paste)
2tsp gukganjang (soy sauce) –> might be bit salty, can skip next time
1tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup perilla seeds powder
1/2tsp black pepper powder
2tbsp mirin/cooking wine
1/2 cup water

Procedure:

Step 1: rinse pork neck bones in water with corn starch for 20-30mins, discard water; replace with water and rinse for 2-3 hours

rinse first in starch water then in cold water, and cut off fat/extra parts

Step 2: mix ingredients for sauces well:

half garlic, minced
2-3tbsp gochugaru (chili pepper powder)
2-3tbsp gochujang (Korean chili pepper paste)
1tbsp doenjang (fermented soy bean paste)
2tsp gukganjang (soy sauce) –> might be bit salty, can skip next time
1tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup perilla seeds powder
1/2tsp black pepper powder
2tbsp mirin/cooking wine
1/2 cup water

Step 3: bring water to boil, cook cabbage for 1-2mins; rinse in cold water to stop cooking and cut in chunks. Set aside to let dry.

Step 4: mix 1tbsp seasoning sauce with cabbage

Step 5: put bones in boiling water, over medium-high heat, cook for 5-7mins; discard water, rinse and clean bones

Step 6: in the pot, put:

2-3lbs CLEAN pork neck bones
1 medium onion, sliced
ginger slices
half garlic
1tbsp doenjang (fermented soy bean paste)
2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms
4 scallions, cut in chunks
3-4 red chili peppers/1 dried chili pepper

Cover, bring to boil and cook over medium heat for 90mins.

optional: remove onion, ginger slices, garlic, scallions

Step 7: take out shiitake mushrooms, put in:

1lb napa cabbage (with seasoning sauce)
2-3 medium potatoes, sliced in chunks
- some recipes cook potatoes 90% first in another pot, but I like the starch from potato and the gravy texture, so I followed Maangchi’s steps to cook raw potato chunks in the pot.
8oz soybean sprouts
8 shishito peppers, thinly sliced (optional)

Step 8: slice shiitake mushrooms, put back to pot

Step 9: add all the seasoning sauce in pot, stir and add some water back if necessary. Adjust flavor with salt. Cook for 30-40mins till potatoes are cooked.

Step 10: roll and slice 8-10 perilla leaves, slice 1 bunch crown daisies