Vegetable and Dduk Chungol, Korean Hotpot

14. October 2008 Soups, Stocks + Sauces 0

Have you seen that Anthony Bourdain episode shot in Seoul? I caught a rerun over the weekend and I salivated during the part when they ate a hot spicy soup with noodles after arriving in the country all jet-lagged and grouchy. He said it immediately made him feel better.

After two weeks of drinking almost everyday, I needed to recuperate, too. The Dr. said I made a chigae, or a soup, but because of all the vegetables I happily tossed in, I made a chungol or a hotpot with noodles. I’m sure his mother won’t approve that I bastardize a soup she can make with her eyes closed, but I liked how my hearty version turned out. It immediately made me feel better.

When reheating leftovers–oh, there will be plenty–add a small amount of water and another tablespoon of kochujang sauce.

Ingredients:
a handful of Korean dduk
a fistful of glass noodles
1 green bell pepper, seeded, chopped
2 eggplants, chopped in thick rounds only before adding to the pot
2 small potatoes, peeled, chopped
1 bunch of scallions, chopped in 1/2-inch pieces
4 tbsps kochujang, or Korean red pepper paste
ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp peanut oil
salt

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat the peanut oil. Add the ginger-garlic paste and scallions. Sauté and avoid burning the paste. Add the chopped eggplants and bell pepper. Toss and cook until they are half-cooked.
2. In the meantime, bowl some water in a small pot and cook the dduk for 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Back to the large pot of vegetables, add 3 cups of water and stir in the kochujang. Add the dduk and the potatoes. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt.
4. Remove pot from heat and stir in the noodles. The noodles will cook in the soup’s remaining heat. Serve immediately with rice.