Korean Pork Gamjatang

Step 1

Peel each potato with a vegetable peeler or small knife, holding it firmly on a cutting board. Cut each potato lengthwise in half, then cut each half lengthwise again, then cut crosswise into 1-inch chunks—you should have roughly 8 pieces per potato.

Step 2

Mince the garlic cloves by slicing them thinly, then chopping the slices into tiny pieces smaller than a grain of rice—about pencil-tip sized dots.

Step 3

Place the pork in a large pot and cover with 5 cups of water. Set heat to high and bring to a boil—you'll see large bubbles breaking the surface rapidly, about 8 minutes.

Step 4

Once boiling, carefully drain the pork into a colander, rinse it under cold water, and rinse out the pot. This removes impurities and makes the broth clearer.

Step 5

Return the pork to the clean pot and add 5 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil over high heat again—about 8 minutes—then reduce heat to medium-low so you see only a few small bubbles breaking the surface.

Step 6

Stir in the 2 tablespoons of gochugaru, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and the minced garlic. Stir until combined and the gochugaru dissolves into the broth, about 30 seconds.

Step 7

Add the potato chunks to the pot. Simmer, with occasional bubbles rising, until the potatoes are fork-tender when pierced with a fork—about 12 minutes.

Step 8

Taste the broth by carefully spooning a small amount into a bowl and sipping when cool. Add more soy sauce, salt, or gochugaru if needed.

Step 9

Divide the soup and pork between two bowls, ensuring each bowl has pork, potatoes, and plenty of broth. Serve immediately while hot.