Kongnamul Eomuk Guk (Bean Sprout Fish Cake Soup)
A spicy, refreshing fish cake soup made with soybean sprouts and Korean radish, seasoned with fish sauce for rich umami.
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 soup combines soybean sprouts and Korean radish for maximum refreshing flavor, harmonizing with the savory umami of fish cake. Adding fish sauce to boiling broth brings out a deep richness, while gochugaru adds a spicy kick that makes it perfect for hangover relief.
- Servings
- 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
- Square fish cake (eomuk)2 sheets
- Soybean sprouts100 g
- Korean radish (mu)100 g
- Large green onion (daepa)1/4 stalk
- Red chili pepper1/2
- Anchovy kelp broth5 cups
- Sand lance fish sauce (or tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek), soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang))1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Salt1/3 tsp
- Ground black peppera little
- You can also prepare and slice spicy Cheongyang chili pepper.
Steps
To give the fish cake soup a refreshing flavor, I prepared soybean sprouts in addition to Korean radish.
Half a red chili pepper for color and this much large green onion for a fresh aroma are plenty.
Cut the fish cake into bite-sized pieces.
Slice the radish into thin squares of about 2 cm, and slice the large green onion and red chili pepper. You can also prepare and slice spicy Cheongyang chili pepper.
Put the fish cake into rolling boiling water for about 10 seconds to remove oily residue and additives.
Add the radish and sand lance fish sauce (or tuna extract sauce, soup soy sauce) to the broth, and boil until the radish is cooked through.
Try adding fish sauce instead of soup soy sauce to maximize the umami.
As it boils, any fishy odor evaporates and the umami increases. I really recommend adding fish sauce to soup dishes.
Add minced garlic, the sliced fish cake, soybean sprouts, and gochugaru, then boil until cooked through.
Add mirin to catch any lingering fishiness, taste it, and if it is bland, adjust with a little salt.
Add the large green onion and red chili pepper to enhance the aroma, sprinkle a little ground black pepper, bring it to a quick boil, and it is done.
Ppunwife's tips
- Put the fish cake into rolling boiling water for about 10 seconds to remove oily residue and additives.
- Try adding fish sauce instead of soup soy sauce to maximize the umami. As it boils, any fishy odor evaporates and the umami increases.
FAQ
Why blanch the fish cake in boiling water before cooking?
Briefly dipping and blanching it in rolling boiling water for about 10 seconds helps remove surface grease and additives.
Is there a special reason to use fish sauce instead of soup soy sauce?
Because any fishy odor evaporates during the boiling process while boosting the savory umami of the broth much more richly.
If I do not have sand lance fish sauce, what can I substitute?
You can season it using tuna extract sauce or regular soup soy sauce.
How can I make the broth spicier and more pungent?
To suit your taste, you can slice and add Cheongyang chili pepper when prepping ingredients to add extra heat.
