[dropcap size=big]A[/dropcap]s we leave October behind, unseasonable heat keepings wafting through unpredictable spells of crisp air. It’s been a weird month of hot and cold; when the weather is this confused, there’s always stone bowls of Korean gomtang to appease both extremities of the weather.
There’s a popular saying amongst people of Korean descent that goes “yi-yeol-chi-yeol,” or “fight fire with fire.” In other words, cool down with hot, spicy foods. It sounds counterintuitive, but in Korean, this is a crucial mantra for fueling the spirit. It’s believed that our bodies are actually cooler in hotter weather; eating something that makes us sweat will thus balance our chi, so kickstart homeostasis in Koreatown with gomtang.
Translated in Korean to “slow-simmered soup,” gomtang comes to your table at a rollicking boil. It’s made with four key simple ingredients: beef parts (ribs, oxtail, brisket, ox head, bones), Korean radish (mu), water, and garlic. Once the soup is fully cooked and ready to serve, the dish can be garnished with diced green onions and salt and Korean red pepper for taste.
The most important ingredient to making savory, brothy gomtang is time – lots of it. Gomtang is known for the long, arduous process of slow-cooking the bone and meat. The time it takes to complete the process depends on what part of the cow is being cooked. In its preparation stages, it can take one hour to soak the beef parts in cold water to drain the blood. The meat, typically brisket or ox head, will then sit in hot water for an additional 3-5 hours until it turns tender and falls off its bones. The heat pulls out its flavors and permeates throughout the water. Ggori (oxtail) gomtang, however, can take up to 12 hours to be ready. This arduous process is similar to the long-drawn flavors of proper tonkatsu ramen or pho.