Clear and Rich Bajirak Guk (Clam Soup)
A clear soup that brings out the rich, refreshing savoriness of fresh manila clams.
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 →
This is a clear soup made by adding just the right amount of water to manila clams so it brews rich and milky, almost like a bone broth. The secret is to purge the clams thoroughly in salt water and gently pour off the cooked broth to leave any grit behind. It is deeply refreshing and perfect for morning hangovers.
- Servings
- 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
- Manila clams600 g
- Water3 cups
- Sliced green onion or Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili) and red chili pepper
- Salta little
- Dissolve 3 tbsp of coarse sea salt in 5 cups of water, add the manila clams, and purge them in a dark, cool place for 5 to 6 hours (in the refrigerator during summer; 1 to 2 hours for packaged clams).
- After purging, rub the clams together with both hands under running water to remove debris from the shells and rinse several times.
Steps
1. Because manila clams are dug from tidal flats, you must purge them before making the soup.
Otherwise, mud mixes into the broth so it is not clean, and you end up chewing on sand or debris.
To purge them, recreate an environment similar to the beach where they live so they can breathe and spit out the grit.
For 5 cups of water, stir in 3 tbsp of coarse sea salt, and once dissolved, add the clams.
You just need enough salt water to submerge the clams, then cover them with a lid or leave them in a dark, cool place for 5 to 6 hours.
In hot summer weather, keep them in the refrigerator.
Even packaged clams sold in brine are not completely purged, so leave them in salt water for 1 to 2 hours.
2. When you pour off the water from the purged clams, a lot of debris will come out.
Rub the clams together with both hands to remove dirt stuck to the shells, and rinse them several times in running water.
3. Add the manila clams to a pot and pour in just enough water so they are submerged with the water rising slightly above them.
I poured 3 cups of water for 600 g of manila clams.
If you add too much water, the soup will not be rich and savory; it turns out watery, bland, and tasteless.
4. As the water boils, the clams open up, and once the broth turns milky and rich, turn off the heat.
It is also good to skim off the foam that rises while boiling.
5. Strain the broth through a sieve and pick out the clam meat so it is easy to eat...
6. Strain the broth through a fine cotton cloth, or let it sit for over 5 minutes and gently pour it off
to filter out any sediment left at the bottom.
If it tastes bland, you can season with salt, but for me it had a savory umami that coated the palate nicely even without any added salt.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you add too much water, the soup will not be rich and savory; it turns out watery, bland, and tasteless.
- Strain the broth through a fine cotton cloth, or let it sit for over 5 minutes and gently pour it off to filter out any sediment left at the bottom.
- You can also add sliced large green onion or Cheongyang chili peppers according to your taste.
FAQ
How do you purge manila clams?
Dissolve 3 tbsp of coarse sea salt in 5 cups of water, add the manila clams, cover with a lid, and let them sit in a dark, cool place for 5 to 6 hours. Packaged clams should also sit in salt water for 1 to 2 hours.
Is there a secret to keeping the broth from tasting bland or watered-down?
Do not pour in excess water just to get more broth; add just enough to submerge the clams, about 3 cups of water for 600 g of manila clams, so it brews milky and rich like a bone broth.
How do you filter out sediment or grit left at the bottom of the broth?
Strain the cooked broth through a fine cotton cloth, or turn off the heat, let it rest for at least 5 minutes, and gently pour off only the top clear broth to cleanly leave the grit behind.
Do I have to season it with salt?
The clams release their own natural umami and saltiness, making it delicious enough without seasoning, but you can taste the broth and adjust with salt to your preference.
