This is a plant-forward riff on a Korean spicy beef and daikon soup that had been a family favorite. You will need two pots for this recipe: one for the mushroom-kombu stock, and another for the soup.
First, in a medium soup pot, heat 10 cups of water with 10 dried shiitake mushrooms and an 8-9″ length piece of kombu. When it comes to a boil, remove the kombu and set aside (otherwise, the kombu may become slimy and affect the soup texture). (You will not need the cooked kombu for this recipe.) Reduce heat to low-medium, cover, and simmer the shiitakes for 20 mins. Remove the shiitakes, drain, and let cool for a few minutes.
Second, gently squeeze the reconstituted mushrooms (to remove excess liquid), discard stems, and julienne. Place the julienned shiitakes into a small mixing bowl, then add: 1 Tbsp Korean red pepper flakes, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, ½ tsp salt, and 4-5 cloves minced garlic. Let marinate for about 5 mins.
Third, while the shiitakes are marinating, peel one large (about 1 ½ lb, but it can be up to 2 lb) Daikon radish and then cut into ½ inch thick penny slices (if the daikon is fairly narrow in diameter) or into half-moon slices (if the diameter is thick); as most Daikon are cone-shaped, I often cut penny slices along the bottom half and then half-moon slices for the upper half of the radish.
Fourth, heat a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat, and lightly coat the bottom with 1 Tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola. Add the marinated shiitakes and sauté on medium heat until the shiitakes become somewhat crisp and lightly browned. Fold in the daikon slices, lightly coating them with the red-tinged oil. Pour in the mushroom-kombu broth, 1.5 Tbsp yondu sauce, and 1.5 Tbsp soup soy sauce. Bring to a vigorous boil for about 10 mins, and then cover and reduce heat to a medium-low simmer until the daikon is fully cooked (about 20 mins). Add 6 scallions, cut into 2-inch long straws (see Note below), and then simmer, uncovered, for another 5 mins.
Fifth, crack 4 eggs in a small mixing bowl. Gently mix with a fork, then drizzle into the simmering soup. Season the soup to taste with salt and black pepper.
Finally, chop 1 additional scallion and set aside. When ready to serve, garnish each serving with a sprinkle of chopped scallions. Serve with short-grain rice (we like Haiga, a type of brown rice that retains the rice germ but not the rice bran). (Sept. 2022)
Note: In lieu of scallions cut into straws, we have used 3 shallots, peeled and cut lengthwise. We then saute them in 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in the Fourth step, then add another tablespoon of oil prior to adding the marinated shiitakes .
Cooking Adventures 