Korean Spicy Beef Soup (Yukaejang)-Bò Nấu Cay kiểu Đại Hàn

    Yukaejang is a hearty, fierce red, spicy (or not) soup-like Korean dish, made from shred beef, sweet potato (glass) noodle and vegetable as fernbrake, large green onion, mushroom, bean sprouts, taro stem, etc.  It is consider a healthy dish  and usually serve with a bowl of rice and kimchi.  The soup tastes better the days after.
     I could not find taro stems so I used the whole bag cooked fernbrake.  Korean light soy sauce is light in color but saltier than regular soy sauce is used to flavor the broth.  Keep an opened chili package in an airtight box or package in freezer to  preserve freshness.  A mild hot coarse ground chili pepper will keep the heat down. It is only took less than 1 hour to cook beef with a pressure cooker.   There are three kinds of green onion I found at a local store, Sunrise: a very large one like America Leek about 2-3 each in a bundle, a medium size about  the fingers size about 6 per bundle, and regular size green onion.

Make 6-8 servings
2      lb beef:  brisket or beef chuck or your favorite cut of beef stew

1      large yellow onion, cut in wedges

6      whole garlic clove. peeled

1      tsp whole black pepper, lightly cracked

10    cups water
1/2   large Korean daikon, cut in chunky pieces

½     lb bean sprout

1      bunch large or medium Korean green onion or 2 bunches of regular green onion

1      lb boiled fern brake (package with water)

½     lb oyster mushroom or any kind available

4 ½ Tbs coarse ground Korean chili 

6     Tbs light soy sauce for soup ( it is different from light soy sauce with less sodium)

2     Tbs sesame oil

1     Tbs vegetable oil

1 ½ Tbs finely minced garlic about 6 garlic cloves

1     tsp sugar (optional)
4     eggs
1/2  lb sweet potato noodle (optional)
8 cups cooked rice
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Put beef and 10 cups of water, 6 garlic cloves, 1 onion, daikon, black pepper in a large pot and bring to a boil.  Then lower the heat down, cover, simmer until the meat is tender and easy to pull apart with a folk or chopsticks about 1.5-2 hours.  If use a pressure cooker, add everything in the pot, set on high pressure setting.  Cover, lock and cook on high heat until it reaches high pressure (indicator will pop). Reduce the heat down to medium low to maintenance the pressure and cook 35 minutes. Remove from heat, let the pressure drops by itself.  Remove the meat, set aside.  Strain the broth, keep daikon but discard others. When the meat is cool, shred into small pieces (2 in x 1/8 in or 2in x 1/4 in.) and put into a large bowl
2. While the meat is cooking, prep for all veggies and keep them separated: trim, cut, wash, rinse, drain and blanch.  Remove fernbrake from the bag. Use you fingers, snap off the tough ends, cut into 2-in length. Trim both ends of green onion and cut into 2- inch length, slid the thick white part in halves lengthwise. Trim ends of mushroom and cut large cap into 2 or 4 pieces, Bring a large pot of water with some salt to a boil on high heat. Blanch veggie separated: start with bean sprout for 1-2 minutes, take them out by a strainer.  When water is boiling again, stir in mushroom for 1 minute, take them out by a strainer like beansprout. Repeat with green onion but need to put blanched green onion in ice cold water to preserve the greenish.  Cook fernbrake last in the same water longer 5 minutes. Squeeze blanched veggies firm but gently to get rid of extra water.  Place them into the beef bowl. except green onion.
3. Add  2 Tbs sesame oil, 4 Tbs Korean light soy sauce, 1.5 Tbs finely minced garlic, 4 Tbs coarse ground Korean chili  to mixed veggies.  Mix well.
4. In a large heavy bottom pot, heat 1 Tbs vegetable oil over medium high heat.  When the oil is shimmering but not smoking.  Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 Tbs chili flakes.  The oil will turn slightly red.  Stir  mixed beef veggie into the chili oil.  Return to the stove, toss well over medium high heat.  Then add the broth.  The broth should cover all ingredients. Bring it to a gently boil, taste and add 1 tsp sugar to round up the taste and add more soy sauce if needed.  Then cover and simmer for 1 hour over low  or medium low heat.  Add green onion at the last 10-15 minutes.  
5. Cook rice (if you need instruction let me know)
6. Cook noodle:   Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium high heat.  Add a little salt and sweet potato noodles.  Then wait for the water returns to a boil.  Turn the heat off and cover for 15-20 minutes. Check the noodle for softness.  Drain noodles.  
7. Season the soup with extra salt if needed.  Add slightly beaten egg to the soup.  Add a small portion of noodles in a soup bowl, cover with hot soup, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. and serve with a bowl of rice.