Licorice Root Slices

Beef Soup with Radish
Ingredients
(4 servings, 45 minutes)
? 1 medium sized Korean radish
? 1 green onion
? 4 slices of licorice root
? 1 tsp garlic salt
? 1/2 tsp powdered black pepper
? 14 cup water
? 1 cup cooked transparent noodle
? 1 tbs minced garlic
? 1/2 tsp minced gingerBeef soup with radish is one of Korea’s popular soups. Because it is made primarily from beef and radish, it is rich in nutrition.
 
Cut beef brisket into large slices and put it in the pot
Pour water in the pot just enough to cover the beef brisket and bring to a boil. Discard water after boiling. This process gets rid of blood and any undesired flavors in the beef.

In the pot, pour 14 cups of water and 4 slices of licorice root. Licorice root is used to enrich the flavor of the soup.

Boil it for 15 minutes

Skin the radish and slice it into 7 large pieces. Make sure, however, the pieces are cut into thin pieces.

Pick out the licorice root slice. If you leave them in for too long, it may make the soup too sweet. Licorice roots serve as a natural seasoning, which is a great benefit.

Add in minced garlic and ginger

Boil it for about 20 minutes. Afterwards, spoon out the bubbles and surface scum, then you will have a clear soup. The broth will become milky and beef brisket will turn whiter.

To serve the soup, pour the soup in a bowl and put garlic salt, black pepper, and chopped green onion according to each individual’s taste.

Transparent noodles are also enjoyed with soup. To serve noodles with the soup, place noodles in the bowl, then pour the hot soup into the bowl and enjoy them together. The noodles make the soup smoother.

Soy Sauce Chicken Makes 4-6 servings

1 4-pound chicken 2 teaspoons salt 1½ cups soy sauce ? cup dark soy sauce ? cup rice wine 6 ounces rock sugar, about ¾ cup ½ cup packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns 4 star anise One 6-inch piece cinnamon, broken in half 5 pieces dried ginger 4 pieces Chinese licorice
.

Prepare the chicken: Remove any fat pockets and rub chicken all over with salt. Rinse under cold water, place on a rack and pat dry with paper towels. Air-dry 1 hour.

Make the sauce: In a flat-bottomed wok or skillet, combine both soy sauces, rice wine, rock sugar and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Cook the seasonings: In a dry pan, cook the Sichuan peppercorns 3-5 minutes over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant. Place the toasted peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, dried ginger and licorice in a 6-inch-square piece of all-cotton cheesecloth and tie securely with kitchen string (or use a large tea infuser). Add the spices to the sauce in the wok and cook, stirring over medium heat until rock sugar has completely dissolved, 10 to 15 minutes.

Cook the chicken: Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, breast side down, and return the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook 40 to 45 minutes. As the chicken cooks, keep the sauce at a gentle simmer. Carefully turn the chicken 2 to 3 times, being careful not to pierce the skin, and baste it so that the color is even.

Let chicken rest: Turn off heat and allow chicken to sit, covered, 20 to 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 170 degrees when inserted at the meatiest point of the thigh but not touching the bone. Then, using 2 heavy spoons, carefully transfer the hot chicken to a cutting board. Let stand, cooling, 10 to 15 minutes.

Presentation: Reserve any chicken juices from the cutting board and combine with about ½ cup sauce from the wok and ¼ cup water. Skim and serve with the chicken, which can be warm or at room temperature.

Source: Adapted recipe from "The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen" by Grace Young, (Simon & Schuster, 1999)