📝 About This Recipe
Torantang is a soulful, traditional Korean soup traditionally enjoyed during the Chuseok autumn festival, celebrated for its earthy flavors and unique, creamy texture. This recipe features tender chunks of taro and succulent beef brisket simmered in a nutrient-dense broth enriched with nutty perilla seed powder. It is a comforting, heart-warming bowl that perfectly captures the essence of Korean seasonal home cooking and ancestral tradition.
🥗 Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 500 grams Fresh Taro (Toran) (peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks)
- 250 grams Beef Brisket (soaked in cold water for 30 minutes to remove blood)
- 200 grams Korean Radish (Mu) (sliced into 1-inch squares, 1/4 inch thick)
- 10 cups Water (for the broth)
- 1 piece Dried Kelp (Dashima) (about 4x4 inches)
Taro Preparation
- 4 cups Rice Water (Ssal-tteumul) (the water from the second or third rinse of washing rice)
- 1 tablespoon Coarse Sea Salt (for parboiling)
Seasoning and Garnish
- 2 tablespoons Soup Soy Sauce (Guk-ganjang) (adds deep umami flavor)
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic (freshly minced)
- 4-5 tablespoons Perilla Seed Powder (Deul-kkae-garu) (peeled/de-husked variety for a creamy finish)
- 2 stalks Green Onions (diagonally sliced)
- to taste Salt and Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil (optional finishing touch)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Begin by preparing the beef. Drain the brisket that has been soaking in cold water. In a large pot, combine the beef, 10 cups of water, and the dried kelp. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
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2
Once boiling, remove the kelp immediately to prevent the broth from becoming slimy. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the beef for 40-50 minutes until tender, skimming off any foam that rises to the top.
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3
While the broth simmers, prepare the taro. IMPORTANT: Wear gloves when peeling taro, as the calcium oxalate crystals can cause skin irritation. Peel and cut the taro into uniform bite-sized pieces.
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4
To remove the sliminess and bitter 'itchy' taste of the taro, place the pieces in a pot with the rice water and a tablespoon of sea salt. Bring to a boil and parboil for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water.
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5
Once the beef is tender, remove it from the pot and let it cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure a clear, clean liquid base.
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6
Shred or slice the cooked beef into thin, bite-sized strips. In a small bowl, toss the beef with a teaspoon of minced garlic and a splash of soy sauce to infuse flavor.
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7
Return the strained broth to the pot. Add the sliced Korean radish and the parboiled taro pieces. Bring the soup back to a boil over medium heat.
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8
Add the remaining minced garlic and the soup soy sauce. Let the soup simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the taro and radish are completely tender and can be easily pierced with a chopstick.
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9
Stir in the perilla seed powder. This will thicken the soup slightly and give it a beautiful milky appearance and nutty aroma. Simmer for another 3-5 minutes.
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10
Add the seasoned beef back into the pot along with the sliced green onions. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
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11
Turn off the heat. If desired, drizzle a tiny bit of toasted sesame oil over the top for extra fragrance. Ladle into deep bowls and serve piping hot.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always wear gloves when handling raw taro to avoid the 'taro itch' caused by its natural juices. Using rice water (ssal-tteumul) to parboil the taro is a traditional secret that effectively neutralizes the acrid taste and removes excess mucilage. For the best texture, use the 'peeled' or 'white' perilla seed powder; the unpeeled version is grittier and will turn the soup a dark, muddy color. Do not overcook the taro to the point of disintegration; it should be soft and creamy like a potato but still hold its shape. If you prefer a clearer soup, you can omit the perilla powder entirely, though you will lose the signature richness of Torantang.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a bowl of freshly steamed short-grain white rice. Pair with well-fermented cabbage kimchi or kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) to cut through the richness of the taro. Include other Chuseok-themed side dishes like Jeon (savory pancakes) or Japchae (glass noodles). Hot barley tea (bori-cha) makes an excellent beverage accompaniment to cleanse the palate. For a complete meal, serve alongside a simple seasoned spinach (sigeumchi-namul) or bean sprout side dish.