The Joy of Not Rushing: Slow Shows and Korean Dough Soup

Written By Crystal Gray
woman sitting by fireplace wrapped in a cozy blanket

In my constant desire to live a more slow, deliberate, present, and analog life, I do spend some of my down time cozying up to slow paced, intentional movies and shows that don’t require much brain power and allow me to simply slip into the feeling of non-rushing and non-doing.



My journey into these slower paced video offerings began on YouTube with channels like:

  • Under a Tin Roof

  • Escape to the Country

  • Rick Steve’s Europe

  • Reruns of the British Show “House Swap”

I then started to explore streaming services to see if I could find similar-feeling shows off of YouTube, because as much as I do enjoy it, it’s easy to get sucked into its orbit. The shows I’ve found there include things like:

  • The Great British Baking Show

  • The Cabin Chronicles (Magnolia Network)

  • House Hunters International

  • Castle Impossible

I’ve also enjoyed numerous movies over the past year that have aligned well with a slower pace.

Some I would HIGHLY recommend are:

  1. Little Forest (Korean version)

  2. The Hundred-Foot Journey

  3. A Good Year

  4. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

  5. Hector and the Search for Happiness

  6. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

I would LOVE to hear some of your inspiring, uplifting, or relaxing shows or movies in the comments! (Thanks in advance ;)

OK, OK, so all of this to say . . .

That’s how I stumbled upon Korean “dough soup”!


I was watching Little Forest and throughout the movie, the main character is cooking a lot of simple, but amazingly delicious-looking foods from the land and one of the things she made was dough soup.


Naturally, when I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner a couple days later on a very cold evening, I thought of that soup, remembered we had tons of napa cabbage in our farm cooler and decided to try to make it - and wow! Am I glad I did! It turned out to be so yummy!


The best part of the whole thing is that it was seasonal AND easy!

I decided to try to squeeze in other veggies we still had on hand that we harvested before the negative temps like purple daikon radish, yellow onion (that was actually store-bought but I had it so… I used it), and potatoes.

I sliced them into matchstick-like pieces which took the soup to another level so I’m glad I took the time to do so. Honestly, there’s just nothing better than a bowl, or two, of a warm, nourishing soup full of fresh vegetables to help you feel nurtured.


Without further ado, here’s the recipe I came up with - Enjoy and also please leave a comment if you are going to try it!

Cozy Sweet & Sour Dough Soup

(Korean-inspired, farm-kitchen friendly)

This is a simple, nourishing soup made with pantry staples and winter vegetables. Soft hand-torn dough simmers in a lightly sweet, gently tangy broth. Comfort food without fuss.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • ½ tsp salt

  • ½ cup water (added gradually)

Soup

  • 6 cups water

  • ½ large onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 cup radish, thinly sliced or matchsticks

  • 1 medium potato, thinly sliced

  • 1½–2 cups chopped cabbage

  • 1 tsp soy sauce (or salt to taste)

  • ¼–½ tsp sugar or honey

For Flavor (Optional but Lovely)

  • ½ cup chopped kimchi

  • 1–2 Tbsp kimchi juice

Finish

  • ½–1 tsp rice vinegar (to taste)

  • 1–2 tsp Asian chili sauce (optional)

  • Sesame oil, black pepper, or chili flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the dough
    In a bowl, mix flour and salt. Add water gradually until a soft dough forms. Knead briefly until smooth, cover, and let rest while the soup cooks.

  2. Start the soup
    In a pot, bring water, onion, radish, and potato to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10–15 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.

  3. Season and add cabbage
    Add soy sauce (or salt), sugar, and cabbage. Simmer 5 minutes.

  4. Optional kimchi step
    If using kimchi, add it now and simmer another 3–5 minutes to mellow the flavor.

  5. Add the dough
    With wet fingers, tear thin, rustic pieces of dough directly into the simmering soup. Cook 3–5 minutes, until the dough floats and is tender.

  6. Finish the soup
    Stir in rice vinegar and chili sauce if using. Taste and adjust salt, sweetness, or tang as needed.

  7. Serve warm
    Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil or a pinch of black pepper if you like.

Notes from the Farm

  • This soup is flexible. Add more vinegar for brightness or a pinch more sugar if it tastes sharp.

  • Kimchi adds depth and tang, but the soup is just as comforting without it.

  • Best enjoyed slowly, preferably standing in the kitchen while it steams up your glasses.

Crystal Gray