With swine flu and the wintry chill coming at us in full force, people are scavenging clinics and pharmacies in hopes of getting the highly desired vaccine. Immunity boosts are much coveted these days, and our familiar chicken soup just might be facing some fierce competition now. Sul lung tang lovers say, ditch the canned chicken soup, bundle up, and head to K-town for some authentic Korean beef soup.

Sul lung tang, in its purest form

Sul lung tang is a hearty, luxuriant beef broth made from ox bones that are simmered on low fire for 12-15 hours. During this lengthy process of beef essence extraction, the bone marrow and collagen melt slowly, creating a milky, sumptuous broth rich in minerals and nutrients that will give you an instant immunity shot. Sul lung tang is served with strips of tender beef brisket that lay on a bed of soupy rice and thin noodles. Even when you’re not sick, sul lung tang also a wonderful hangover cure after a late night of partying, when you need a boost to get back into that happy state.

Sul lung tang, with scallions and sea salt

Subtlety is king here, in face of the traditionally strong, piquant flavors of kimchee and grilled galbi. Sul lung tang is traditionally served in its purest form without any salt, but you can sprinkle a dash of sea salt to your liking (or several dashes) into the soup, slowly stirring until melting, and taste until you’re satisfied. Scallions also add a nice crunchy kick of brightness to the solemn broth. I’m a sucker for scallions, so I always pile ‘em up in my mine.

It seems like sul lung tang is not terribly hard to mark, but it can be a pretty time-consuming process (see recipe below). For those who want some immediately relief, most of the restaurants in K-town offer this delicious soup. Aficionados have repeatedly told me that Gahm Mi Oak is the best in Manhattan when it comes to sul lung tang. Apparently they also serve the best kimchee in Manhattan? If you know of any hot contenders, please do share!

Cheers,
Jess

How to Make Sul Lung Tang:
Ingredients:
8 cups of water
4 large oxtail bones
4 cloves of garlic
4 leeks

1. Soak beef bones for 30 minutes and rinse well
2. Put beef bones in a big pot with cold water and bring to a boil for about 45 minutes
3. Throw out this broth (should be very murky)
4. Rinse bones and bring them to a boil with clean water for 3-4 hours
5. Add garlic, leeks, and onions to the soup
6. Continue to let it boil, while adding water at the same time
7. Once it has a snowy white color, let the broth cool
8. Put the broth into the fridge for a 1-2 hours
9. Trim the layer of fat on top
10. Reheat the broth and serve with salt, pepper, and scallions

Where to Get Sul Lung Tang:

Gahm Mi Oak
43 W 32nd St
New York, NY
(212) 695-4113

Gahwa Korean Restaurant
2932 Union St (Downtown Flushing)
New York, NY
(718) 886-3223

Hanbat
53 W 35th St
New York, NY
(212) 629-5588 ‎

Kunjip
9 W 32nd St
New York, NY
(212) 216-9487

Woo Chon
8 W 36th St
New York, NY
(212) 695-0676

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