Soybean Sprout Soup is a popular Korean side dish soup – Kongnamul-Guk. It is not at all difficult to cook. With few simple ingredients, you can enjoy a bowl of fresh and light soup. For this vegetarian/vegan version, I used kelps instead of anchovies. If it is too plain, just sprinkle some sesame oil, sesame seeds, Korean red pepper or dried chilli flake. Do not overcook the soybean sprout, it should have a crunchy texture. Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins
Ingredients (serves 2)
° 100g soybean sprout, trimmed
° 50g silken tofu, cut into cubes
° 5 dried kelps in knot
° 1-2 thin slices ginger
° 500ml water
° ½-1 teaspoon light soy sauce
° salt and pepper to taste
° 1 stalk fresh spring onion, cut into 4cm length
Method
1. Place the dried kelps, ginger and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove the ingredients with a slotted spoon and discard, if desired.
2. Add in the tofu, soybean sprout and bring to a boil. Off the fire and season to taste with light soy sauce, salt and pepper.
3. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls. Garnish with spring onion and serve hot.