Fragrant Ssuk Guk (Mugwort Soup) with Perilla Powder
A fragrant spring seasonal mugwort soup made by dissolving doenjang in rice-water broth and adding perilla seed powder.
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 spring seasonal soup is made by simmering dried anchovies and dried kelp in water from washing rice to make a broth, dissolving doenjang, and adding fragrant mugwort. Perilla seed powder is added for a nutty, savory flavor, and it is simmered quickly so the mugwort keeps its fresh aroma.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Mugwort150 g
- Large green onion (daepa)1/4 stalk
- Water from washing rice5 cups
- Dried anchovies10
- Dried shrimp1
- Dried kelp (dasima)2 pieces (5 cm square)
Seasoning
- Doenjang (Korean soybean paste)1 tbsp
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Perilla seed powder2 tbsp
- Salta little
- This is about two handfuls of mugwort, 150g. Because it is tender young mugwort like fresh sprouts, the aroma is truly rich.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
This is about two handfuls of mugwort, 150g. Because it is tender young mugwort like fresh sprouts, the aroma is truly rich.
Clean and prep
Trim off any yellow leaves and root tips slightly.
Soak the mugwort in water, shake it gently by hand to loosen any debris, wash it several times, and drain in a strainer.
Prepare the large green onion and slice it diagonally.
Make the broth
Add 10 dried soup anchovies, about 10 dried shrimp, and dried kelp to 5 cups of water from washing rice, and simmer for about 10 minutes to make the broth.
Once the broth has brewed well, remove all the solid ingredients.
Simmer
Add 1 tbsp of doenjang and 1 tbsp of soup soy sauce to the broth, and once it comes to a boil with the doenjang dissolved...
Add 1/2 tbsp of minced garlic, mugwort, and large green onion, then simmer until tender.
Taste and season with salt if it tastes bland...
Add perilla seed powder, let it boil quickly for 1 minute, and finish.
Complete
A tender and rich ssuk guk is complete.
Sipping the soup with the mugwort goes down so easily.
It is so wonderfully tender and soft.
It tastes best when cooked with minimal seasoning and without simmering for too long, preserving the mugwort's fragrance.
Here is the dodari ssuk guk simmered with spring flounder that I posted last year. Please check it out.
Related post on the blog (Korean)blog.naver.com/ppunwife/223381535870
Ppunwife's tips
- It tastes best when cooked with minimal seasoning and without simmering for too long, preserving the mugwort's fragrance.
FAQ
How should I cook mugwort to best preserve its deep aroma?
Keep the seasonings minimal and avoid simmering for too long to fully enjoy its unique fragrance.
How do you wash off the dirt and debris from the mugwort?
Soak it briefly in water, rinse it several times while gently shaking by hand, and drain in a strainer.
When is the best time to add perilla seed powder?
Add it at the very end after the mugwort turns tender and you adjust the seasoning, let it simmer briefly for about 1 minute, then turn off the heat.
Can I substitute regular water if I don't have water from washing rice? AI-generated
Using regular water to make the broth with dried anchovies and dried kelp will still yield a sufficiently refreshing and flavorful soup.
