Refreshing Mussels Soup (Honghap-tang)
Seasonal Mussels Soup Recipe: A Refreshing Broth Dish with Health Benefits of Mussels
A delicious Mussels Soup recipe. Enjoy a refreshing and hearty broth made with seasonal seafood.
Ingredients- 1kg Fresh Mussels
- 2L Water
- 1/5 Daikon Radish (optional, for clear broth)
- 3 Korean Green Chilies (Cheongyang peppers)
- 1 Green Onion
- 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- Salt to taste
- 1 Tbsp Mirin (Rice Wine for cooking)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the aromatics: Slice the daikon radish thinly, chop the green onion into large pieces, and thinly slice the Korean green chilies diagonally. Don’t worry too much about the appearance as they are mainly for flavoring the broth.
Step 2
If you have daikon radish, add it to the pot first. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. This step helps to extract a subtle sweetness and clarity from the radish into the broth. If you don’t have radish, you can skip this step.
Step 3
If you are adding fish cakes (eomuk), cut them into bite-sized pieces and blanch them in hot water before adding to the soup. (Note: Fish cakes are not part of the original ingredients for this recipe.)
Step 4
If you are adding octopus (nakji), prepare it by cleaning and cutting it into suitable pieces. (Note: Octopus is not part of the original ingredients for this recipe.)
Step 5
Thoroughly clean the mussels. Gently pull out the beard-like ‘byssus threads’ from the mussels by hand or cut them off with scissors. Scrape off any barnacles or debris from the shells using a scrub brush, the edge of a shell, scissors, or a knife. After removing the byssus threads, rinse the mussels under cold running water, rubbing the shells against each other to remove any remaining dirt. Change the water 2-3 times until the mussels are clean.
Step 6
Once the radish has softened slightly, add the cleaned mussels to the pot. You can add a commercial soup stock cube (‘Dongjeon Yuksu’) if you have one – they are very convenient. If not, don’t worry, the soup will still be delicious without it.
Step 7
Add the prepared green onion and sliced green chilies. Pour in 1 tablespoon of mirin to help eliminate any potential fishiness from the mussels and enhance the broth’s flavor.
Step 8
It’s best to use a large pot, as the mussels will expand and open, potentially causing the soup to overflow. If using a shallow pot, make sure not to fill it more than 70-80% full to prevent boil-overs.
Step 9
If you’re concerned about overflow, you can cook with the lid off. Once the mussels begin to open, gently stir the soup once to ensure even cooking, and simmer for another moment until fully cooked. This Honghap-tang boasts a beautifully milky and refreshing broth. Enjoy the delightful mussels and the clean, invigorating soup – perfect as a side dish or a companion to drinks. Eating this seasonal delicacy frequently during winter will surely boost your energy and well-being, making other winter supplements unnecessary!
