A good broth is the foundation of any soup or stew, and vegetable broth — made by slowly simmering vegetables instead of meat or anchovies — is an excellent choice for home cooks.
The gentle sweetness and umami drawn from vegetables make it versatile enough for light soups, braised dishes and everything in between. Leftover vegetables from the refrigerator work perfectly well.
Particularly useful is keeping two separate batches on hand: a hansik version for Korean soups, stews and seasoned vegetable dishes, and a Western-style version to serve as the base for soups, pasta and sauces.
When preparing either broth, peel away the outer skin of onions and garlic where soil clings, but keep the inner skin and use it along with the flesh. The key is to simmer everything for about 50 minutes until the liquid reduces by roughly half, drawing out the full flavor of the vegetables.
Once finished, let the broth cool slightly before transferring it to an airtight container. Refrigerated broth should be used within a few days; frozen broth keeps well for up to three months.
The video below walks through both recipes step by step.
Hansik vegetable broth (makes 1 liter)
Ingredients: 2 liters of water, 2 onions, 2 stalks of green onion, 2 heads of garlic, 15 grams of dried kelp (20x20 cm), 5 dried shiitake mushrooms (30 grams), one-sixth of a radish (200 grams)
Step 1. Cut the onions, green onions and radish into large pieces.
Step 2. Add 2 liters of water to the vegetables, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Step 3. Once the vegetables have fully released their flavor, strain the broth through a colander.
Western-style vegetable broth (makes 1 liter)
Ingredients: 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1–2 stalks of celery, 5–6 garlic cloves, 1–2 bay leaves
Step 1. Cut the vegetables into large pieces.
Step 2. Add 2 liters of water to the vegetables, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Step 3. Once the vegetables have fully released their flavor, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve.
Recipe courtesy of Woori's Table
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