Songi Beoseot-guk
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Pine mushrooms (songi), sliced — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- Onion, sliced — 1
- Garlic, minced — 2 cloves
- Beef or anchovy stock — 1.4 L (48 fl oz)
- Soy sauce — 1 tbsp
- Salt — to taste
- Chopped green onion, to garnish
Method
- Bring the stock to a simmer in a pot.
- Add the onion and garlic, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the sliced pine mushrooms and soy sauce, and simmer gently for a further 10–12 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
- Season with salt and garnish with chopped green onion before serving hot.
Introduction: A delicate, fragrant soup made with prized pine mushrooms, a seasonal specialty from North Korea's mountainous forests.
Cultural Background: Pine mushrooms (songi), foraged from mountain pine forests, are highly prized across Korea for their distinctive fragrance, and this simple soup allows their delicate flavour to be the star of the dish.
Tips: Handle pine mushrooms gently, as they are delicate and can lose their distinctive texture if overcooked. Simmer gently rather than boiling hard, to preserve the mushrooms' fragrance.
Variations: Add a little beef for a heartier version. Use other wild mushrooms if pine mushrooms are unavailable, though the flavour will differ.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through.
FAQs:
Q: What are pine mushrooms?
A: A prized wild mushroom, known as songi in Korean and matsutake in Japanese, valued for their distinctive fragrant aroma.
Q: When are pine mushrooms in season?
A: Typically in autumn, when they're foraged from mountain pine forests.
- Pine mushrooms (songi), sliced — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- Onion, sliced — 1
- Garlic, minced — 2 cloves
- Beef or anchovy stock — 1.4 L (48 fl oz)
- Soy sauce — 1 tbsp
- Salt — to taste
- Chopped green onion, to garnish
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