Abalone and Seafood Cold Soup (Mulhoe): The Ultimate Summer Revitalizer
#SummerSuperfood #SummerDish #AbaloneSeafoodMulhoe #A Rich and Spicy Cold Soup with Abalone and Various Seafood!
Enjoy a refreshing abalone and seafood cold soup (mulhoe) featuring tender abalone, plump shrimp, chewy squid, and delicate scallop adductor muscle, all blanched and chilled. Served in a zesty, spicy, and tangy broth with crisp fresh vegetables, this dish is perfect for beating the summer heat. You can enjoy this hearty mulhoe in several ways: simply over cold rice, with cooked somen noodles, or even as a delicious mulhoe bibim-naengmyeon. We’ll share those special serving suggestions in upcoming recipes!
Fresh Seafood and Vegetables- 2 Abalones
- 3 Frozen Scallop Adductor Muscles
- 1 Frozen Squid (cleaned)
- 1 cup Frozen Shrimp (approx. 150g)
- 1 Tbsp Coarse Salt (for blanching seafood)
- 1 Cucumber (medium)
- 1/2 Onion (medium)
- 1/2 Carrot (medium)
- 1/6 Cabbage (small)
Spicy and Refreshing Mulhoe Broth- 3 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, or to taste)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Green Onion
- 1 tsp Ginger Powder (or 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger)
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Honey (or sugar)
- 4 Tbsp Vinegar (apple or rice vinegar recommended)
- 2 Tbsp Cheongju (rice wine/mirin)
- 700ml Cold Water
- 1 Tbsp Mustard Paste (or to taste)
- 1 pack of Cold Naengmyeon (buckwheat noodle) broth (single serving)
- 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Seeds (for garnish)
- 3 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, or to taste)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Green Onion
- 1 tsp Ginger Powder (or 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger)
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Honey (or sugar)
- 4 Tbsp Vinegar (apple or rice vinegar recommended)
- 2 Tbsp Cheongju (rice wine/mirin)
- 700ml Cold Water
- 1 Tbsp Mustard Paste (or to taste)
- 1 pack of Cold Naengmyeon (buckwheat noodle) broth (single serving)
- 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Seeds (for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by preparing your fresh vegetables. Wash the cucumber, onion, carrot, and cabbage thoroughly. Remove seeds from the cucumber and slice all vegetables into thin matchsticks. Soak the julienned vegetables in cold water for about 10 minutes to enhance their crispness. Drain them completely and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 2
Clean the fresh abalones by scrubbing the underside of the shell and the meat with a brush. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of coarse salt. Carefully add the abalones and boil for 7-10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook, as they can become tough. Once boiled, turn off the heat and let them sit in the residual heat for another 2-3 minutes before removing them. This method helps ensure the abalones are tender and firm.
Step 3
Blanch the frozen seafood, including squid, scallop adductor muscles, and shrimp, in boiling water with a pinch of salt for about 3-5 minutes each, until cooked through. Rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool them down. This step helps remove any unwanted odors and keeps the seafood fresh. Keep the blanched seafood submerged in cold water.
Step 4
Once cooled, separate the abalone meat from the shell, remove the innards, and slice it into bite-sized pieces. Julienne the blanched squid and scallop adductor muscles to a similar thickness as the abalone. If your shrimp are whole, peel and devein them. Slice the seafood slightly thicker than the vegetables for a pleasant chew.
Step 5
Now, let’s make the flavorful mulhoe broth. In a bowl, combine gochujang, gochugaru, minced garlic, chopped green onion, ginger powder, soy sauce, honey (or sugar), vinegar, and cheongju. Mix well until smooth. This sauce is characterized by its spicy, sour, and sweet profile. Ginger, garlic, and green onion are crucial for eliminating any fishy odors, while cheongju enhances the seafood’s natural flavors. Adjust the seasoning with gochujang and soy sauce for saltiness, and vinegar for tanginess.
Step 6
Add one pack of pre-made cold naengmyeon broth to the seasoned mixture. Using naengmyeon broth adds a deeper, cooler flavor that is perfect for mulhoe.
Step 7
Pour in 700ml of cold water and whisk everything together until the gochujang is fully dissolved and the broth achieves a vibrant red color. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning: add a little salt if it’s too bland, more gochugaru if the color isn’t rich enough, or more vinegar if you prefer it tangier.
Step 8
The completed mulhoe broth looks delicious and appetizing, doesn’t it? While this is already wonderful on its own, adding ice cubes and serving it with just somen noodles is also a fantastic option.
Step 9
Prepare your serving bowls. Ladle a generous amount of the chilled mulhoe broth into large, deep bowls that have also been kept cold. Serving it cold is key to enhancing the flavors of all the ingredients.
Step 10
Finally, artfully arrange the julienned vegetables, abalone, and various seafood over the broth, alternating for a visually appealing presentation. The combination of different seafood adds to the dish’s richness. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds as a garnish, and your Abalone and Seafood Cold Soup is ready to be enjoyed as the ultimate summer revitalizer! Enjoy this refreshing dish that will help you forget the heat.
