Refreshing and Spicy Ojingeo Guk (Squid and Radish Soup)
A spicy squid and radish soup simmered with anchovy broth for a clean, refreshing flavor and finished with gochugaru.
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 squid and radish soup gets its refreshing, clean taste from plenty of Korean radish and its spicy kick from Cheongyang chili pepper and gochugaru. It develops a deep, rich flavor without long simmering, making it perfect for breakfast or as a hangover cure. When reheated the next day, the broth becomes even richer.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Squid2 whole, 350 g (small)
- Korean radish (mu)250 g
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalk
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Red chili pepper1
- Anchovy broth (or water and 2 broth coin tablets)2 tablets
Seasoning
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)1/2 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Sand lance fish sauce (or dried anchovies)1 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Use 2 small squid or one whole large squid.
- If you do not like spicy food, omit the chili peppers or use less.
- Instead of 5 cups of anchovy broth, you can also use 5 cups of water with 2 broth tablets.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
These are 2 small squid. If you have a large one, one whole is plenty.
For simple secondary ingredients, prepare Korean radish, large green onion, Cheongyang chili pepper, and red chili pepper.
Slice the ingredients
Cut the squid into bite-sized pieces that are not too large, and slice the radish thinly into pieces of a similar size or slightly smaller.
Thinly slice the green onion and chili peppers into rounds.
If you do not like spicy food, omit the chili peppers or use less.
Boil the soup
Pour in 5 cups of anchovy broth, or add 2 broth tablets to 5 cups of water instead of broth.
We will add the radish first and bring it to a boil.
Add 1 tbsp soup soy sauce and 1/2 tbsp gochujang as well so the broth is seasoned.
Boil until the radish is more than half cooked, then add the squid.
Add 1 tbsp gochugaru and 1 tbsp minced garlic, then simmer gently so the squid cooks tender and the seasoning blends into the broth.
Taste the broth, and if it is bland, adjust with 1 tbsp fish sauce or salt.
To finish, add the large green onion, chili peppers, and a little ground black pepper.
Finish
The squid and radish soup is finished.
Ppunwife's tips
- Adding plenty of Korean radish definitely makes squid soup refreshing and delicious.
- Like miyeok-guk, I find squid soup tastes even better when reheated the next day because the broth deepens in flavor.
FAQ
What can I do if making anchovy broth from scratch is too troublesome?
You can easily substitute it by adding 2 store-bought broth tablets to 5 cups of water.
How can I adjust it if I cannot eat spicy food well?
You can enjoy it less spicy by omitting the Cheongyang chili pepper or reducing the amount.
Can I season it with something else instead of sand lance fish sauce?
You can use anchovy fish sauce or season it with salt to taste.
When should I add the squid during cooking so the texture does not turn tough?
Add the Korean radish first, let it cook more than halfway, and then add the squid and simmer gently to keep it tender.
