Refreshing and Deep Flavored! How to Make Su-mi’s Dried Pollock Soup (Hwangtae Haejangguk)
Best for Hangover Relief! Su-mi’s Dried Pollock Soup Recipe: The Secret to a Refreshing and Deep Broth
Thursday evenings often call for a hearty soup the next morning, especially for my husband who enjoys a drink! So, I decided to make ‘Su-mi’s Banchan’ style Dried Pollock Soup. Its clear, deep broth and tender dried pollock are absolutely delicious.
Main Ingredients- 100g Dried Pollock (Hwangtae)
- 1.8L Rice Water (approx. 9 cups)
- 1/4 Korean Radish (approx. 150g)
- 1 Cheongyang Pepper
- 1 Red Pepper
- 1 Green Onion
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 Block Tofu (approx. 300g)
- 1 tsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Soup Soy Sauce (Gukganjang)
- 1 Tbsp Salted Shrimp (Saeu-jeot)
- 1 Egg
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare and measure all the ingredients. Cut the dried pollock into bite-sized pieces and wash the vegetables thoroughly.
Step 2
Cut the Korean radish into strips about 0.5cm thick and similar in length to the dried pollock. This helps to extract a refreshing flavor into the broth.
Step 3
Remove the seeds from the Cheongyang and red peppers, then finely chop them. Slice the green onion diagonally. Adjust the amount of peppers to your preference.
Step 4
Place the 100g of dried pollock in a bowl and add a little water. Gently knead it with your hands. This process removes impurities and makes the pollock tender. (In ‘Su-mi’s Banchan’, a spray bottle is sometimes used to moisten the pollock.)
Step 5
Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Add the prepared dried pollock and stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Stir-frying deepens the flavor of the broth considerably.
Step 6
Pour 1.8 liters of rice water into the pot with the stir-fried dried pollock. While you can use plain water, rice water adds a smoother and more savory taste to the soup.
Step 7
Add the sliced radish and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for at least 10 minutes. The longer it simmers, the more refreshing flavor the radish will release, resulting in a milky broth.
Step 8
Cut the block of tofu into pieces roughly the same size as the dried pollock. Be careful not to cut them too small, as they might break apart during cooking.
Step 9
Once the broth has developed enough flavor, add the sliced tofu and cook together. When the tofu is slightly cooked, add 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of soup soy sauce to season. Next, add the sliced green onion and peppers, and simmer briefly. Finally, stir in 1 tablespoon of salted shrimp, turn off the heat, crack in 1 egg, and cover with the lid. Let it cook in the residual heat. Avoid stirring immediately after adding the egg to maintain its shape.
Step 10
With the flavors of the ingredients harmoniously blended, your simple yet incredibly refreshing and delicious Dried Pollock Soup is ready! It’s perfect for enjoying with a bowl of rice.
