Spicy Agutang (Monkfish Soup) with Tender Monkfish and Shrimp
A spicy soup dish made by boiling tender monkfish and shrimp over high heat with soybean sprouts and water dropwort.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
Tender monkfish meat and shrimp combine with anchovy broth to make a clean, refreshing soup. The key is to mix a little broth into the seasoning paste to keep it moist and smooth, then boil it quickly with the vegetables over high heat. With its spicy and refreshing flavor, it makes a great hangover soup or drinking snack.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Cook time
- 20 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Monkfish1 whole (medium)
- Shrimp7 (medium-small)
- Korean radish (mu)1/4
- Soybean sprouts1 handful
- Water dropwort (minari)1 handful
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalk
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Anchovy broth4-5 cups
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2 tbsp
- Minced garlic2 tbsp
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Salt1 tsp
- Ginger powdera little
- Ground black peppera little
- Anchovy broth3 tbsp
- Trim away the sharp teeth from the monkfish, cut it into bite-sized pieces, wash under running water, and drain well. (If you ask the fishmonger when buying, they will remove the innards and chop it into large pieces for you.) Peel and devein the shrimp.
- You can also add Manila clams along with the monkfish. Adding zucchini or onion works nicely too.
Steps
1. Trim away the sharp teeth from the monkfish, cut it into bite-sized pieces, wash under running water, and drain well.
(If you ask the fishmonger when buying, they will remove the innards and chop it into large pieces for you.)
Peel and devein the shrimp.
(You can also add Manila clams along with the monkfish.)
2. Thickly slice 1/4 of a small Korean radish, and thickly slice the large green onion and Cheongyang chili peppers on a diagonal.
3. Take a generous handful of soybean sprouts, and cut a handful of trimmed water dropwort into the same length as the soybean sprouts.
(Adding zucchini or onion works nicely too.)
4. Mix all seasoning ingredients well in advance, except for the salt.
Mixing anchovy broth or water into the seasoning paste, which can easily become stiff, keeps it moist and gives it a pretty color.
5. Bring 4-5 cups of anchovy broth to a boil together with the Korean radish.
6. Once the broth comes to a boil, add the monkfish and shrimp.
6. As it starts to boil, foam will rise. Skim it off...
7. Once you skim off the foam and the broth is clear, add half of the seasoning paste and dissolve it in.
Add all the remaining vegetables (soybean sprouts, water dropwort, large green onion, chili peppers), stir in the remaining seasoning paste, season with 1 tsp salt, and boil quickly.
Preparing the ingredients takes a little time, but the cooking itself takes less than 20 minutes.
Keep cooking over high heat throughout.
You can cook and serve it directly in a hot pot like this...
Ppunwife's tips
- Mixing anchovy broth or water into the seasoning paste, which can easily become stiff, keeps it moist and gives it a pretty color.
- For this version, I heated a stone pot (ttukbaegi), poured in the broth and ingredients from step 8, then added the rest of the vegetables and seasoning paste to finish boiling. Cooking it in a stone pot keeps the soup piping hot until the very end.
- The tender monkfish meat is delicious dipped in chogochujang (vinegared chili paste) like sliced boiled meat, or in wasabi soy sauce.
FAQ
Why is anchovy broth added when making the seasoning paste?
Mixing a small amount of anchovy broth or water into the chili flake paste prevents it from becoming stiff, keeps it moist, and helps produce a vibrant color.
Can other seafood or vegetables be added besides shrimp?
Manila clams go very well with it, and for vegetables, adding zucchini or onion to your liking also works nicely.
How should the cooked monkfish meat be served?
You can enjoy the tender cooked meat by dipping it in vinegared chili paste or soy sauce with wasabi, just like sliced boiled meat.
How should the heat be controlled while boiling the soup?
Once the broth boils and the foam is skimmed, add the ingredients and seasoning paste, then keep the heat on high throughout to boil it quickly.
