Know Your Korean Food: Your Cure for a Hangover: Mung Bean Sprout Rice Soup

A common hangover cure in Korea is Mung Bean Sprout and Rice Soup (Kongnamul Gukbap 콩나물국밥). Mung Bean Sprouts are rich in vitamins and antioxidants, so they are a natural way to help you get rid of the bends after a night of drinking.

Jeonju (a south-western city in Korea) is famous for this dish. Jeonju-style Kongnamul-gukbap is served with a sunny-side-up egg. You add some of the rice and the beansprouts to the egg and then mix and eat it. The egg yolk will coat your stomach to relax it and so will the hot soup. Overall, this dish is very mild in taste.

The flavoring agent to this soup is salted shrimp. These little shrimps add texture and seasoning to this mild dish. Kongnamul-gukbap really works to cure hangovers. When I'm really out of it after a night of drinking, it's my godsend. Oh, the dish is also good if you are not hungover as well.

Dan