Nutrient-Rich Seaweed and Oyster Soup (Maesaengi Guk)
How to Make Delicious Seaweed and Oyster Soup Perfect for This Weather / By Kim Jin-ok
Hello everyone! This is Kim Jin-ok. Fresh maesaengi (seaweed) is starting to appear in the markets these days! Because dishes made with seasonal ingredients are good for our bodies, I always buy them when I see them. Maesaengi is especially rich in the five major nutrients, so a well-made maesaengi and oyster soup can be a satisfying meal on its own. Shall we make this wonderful soup?
Ingredients (for 4 servings)- 1 block of fresh maesaengi (seaweed)
- 200g oysters
- 600ml anchovy-kelp broth
- 600ml water
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped white part of green onion
- 2 finely chopped Korean chili peppers (optional, for spice)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp soup soy sauce (ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce (myeolchi aekjeot)
- 1/2 Tbsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Prepare the oysters. Place the oysters in a bowl and gently rinse them by swishing them in lightly salted water (about 1/2 tsp salt per cup of water). Carefully remove any shell fragments or impurities. Drain the oysters in a colander. This rinsing process helps to reduce any fishy odor and ensures a cleaner taste.
Step 2
2. Clean the maesaengi. Submerge the maesaengi in cold water and gently agitate it to separate the strands. Rinse it two to three times, carefully checking for and removing any small debris or foreign objects. Drain the cleaned maesaengi in a colander. It’s important to handle the maesaengi delicately while washing, as over-washing can diminish its nutrients.
Step 3
3. Now, let’s create the flavorful broth. In a pot, combine 600ml of anchovy-kelp broth and 600ml of water. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the prepared oysters and the maesaengi. Continue to maintain high heat. As soon as the oysters and maesaengi are added, season the soup with 2 Tbsp of soup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp of fish sauce, and 1/2 Tbsp of minced garlic to enhance the umami flavor. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt as needed. I used a little less than 1/2 Tbsp of salt, but feel free to adjust to your preference. Let the soup simmer over high heat for about 5 minutes. Then, add the 2 Tbsp of chopped white green onion and the 2 chopped Korean chili peppers. Finally, drizzle in 1 Tbsp of sesame oil and bring it to a gentle boil one last time. Your delicious seaweed and oyster soup is now complete.
**Tip:** It’s best to cook the maesaengi and oysters for no more than 5 minutes after adding them to the pot. Overcooking can make their texture mushy and affect the flavor. This short cooking time ensures you enjoy the soft texture of the maesaengi and the fresh, briny taste of the oysters.
