Spicy and Refreshing Codfish Stew (Daegu Maeuntang)
How to Make Delicious Codfish Maeuntang: A Recipe for a Refreshing and Spicy Cod Soup.
I tried making a spicy and delicious Daegu Maeuntang with cod, which is usually cooked as a clear broth soup (jiritang). The flesh is plump and doesn’t have any fishy smell, making it incredibly tasty.
Main Ingredients- 1 fresh cod (cleaned)
- 100g radish
- 1/2 onion
- 3 green chili peppers
- 3 red chili peppers
- 1 shiitake mushroom
- 1 bunch of crown daisy (ssukgat)
- 1/2 large green onion
- 1 handful of bean sprouts
Spicy Stew Seasoning- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or sake, for reducing fishiness and adding flavor)
- 1 Tbsp salted shrimp (saeu-jeot, for seasoning)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or sake, for reducing fishiness and adding flavor)
- 1 Tbsp salted shrimp (saeu-jeot, for seasoning)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
For the cod, soak it briefly in lightly salted water to prevent the flesh from breaking apart. This also helps to firm up the fish.
Step 2
Slice the radish, which provides a refreshing taste, into bite-sized pieces (nabak-sseolgi). Thinly slice the onion into strips.
Step 3
Slice the green and red chili peppers diagonally to add a spicy kick. Slice the shiitake mushroom thinly for its umami flavor.
Step 4
Cut the green onion diagonally into bite-sized pieces. Trim the tougher stems from the crown daisy, keeping the leaves and tender stalks.
Step 5
Rinse the bean sprouts lightly under running water. You can trim the roots for a cleaner look, but it’s optional.
Step 6
Gently pat the cod dry with paper towels after it has been soaked.
Step 7
Bring your broth (anchovy-kelp or rice water works well) to a boil in a pot. Once boiling, add the radish and bean sprouts first and let them cook. When the radish becomes slightly translucent, add the cod and onion. Stir in the minced garlic, gochugaru, anchovy sauce, cooking wine, and salted shrimp. Let it simmer until the soup boils again, adjusting seasoning as needed. Using salted shrimp adds a wonderful depth of flavor.
Step 8
Once the soup is boiling again, add the shiitake mushrooms, red chili peppers, and green chili peppers. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes to let the flavors meld. For extra spiciness, feel free to add more gochugaru. Finally, add the sliced green onions and let it simmer briefly. Turn off the heat, garnish with the crown daisy, and serve immediately. Enjoy the invigorating spicy and refreshing taste!
