Rich and Refreshing Pollack Soup (Hwangtae Guk)
How to Make a Creamy and Deep-Flavored Pollack Soup
The secret to a rich and savory Hwangtae Guk is perilla oil! Experience a taste that will truly refresh your soul.
Main Ingredients- 30g Dried Pollack Strips (Hwangtae)
- 2 Tbsp Perilla Oil
- 1 Liter Water
- 2-3 Green Onions, cut into 5cm lengths
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s begin making a deeply flavored and refreshing pollack soup! First, tear the dried pollack strips into bite-sized pieces. If you have the pollack heads, don’t discard them; boiling them along with the strips will make the broth even richer and more flavorful.
Step 2
The key to a delicious pollack soup is stir-frying it with perilla oil! Heat a generous amount of perilla oil in a pan – it pairs wonderfully with pollack. Add the torn pollack strips and sauté them. Stir-frying until a nutty aroma emerges is crucial for developing deep flavor.
Step 3
The pollack, coated in perilla oil, is now nicely toasting. You can use the dried pollack as is. Sauté it gently over medium-low heat to prevent burning. Thorough sautéing will bring out the pollack’s best flavor.
Step 4
Once the pollack is well-sautéed, it’s time to add water. Instead of pouring all the water at once, start by adding just enough water to barely cover the pollack and let it simmer. This process helps to concentrate the pollack’s essence into a rich broth. Now, let’s bring it to a rolling boil over high heat!
Step 5
As the water boils vigorously, the broth is starting to turn milky white, just like bone broth! Simmering it with a smaller amount of water initially is the secret to achieving this rich, concentrated flavor.
Step 6
Once the rich broth has been extracted, add the remaining 1 liter of water and bring it back to a boil. Start over high heat, then reduce to medium heat once boiling and let it simmer steadily. Cooking it for a good amount of time allows the delicious essence of the pollack to fully infuse into the soup.
Step 7
Look at how beautifully milky-white the broth has become! The pollack pieces are also plump and tender. Now all that’s left is to season it. It’s not complicated, is it? By simply simmering it patiently and steadily, you can create the most refreshing and soul-soothing pollack soup.
Step 8
To serve, ladle the desired amount into an earthenware pot (ttukbaegi) and heat it up again briefly. Season with salt. We recommend omitting minced garlic here, as its strong aroma can overpower the delicate flavor of the pollack. If you prefer a deeper savory note, you can season with salted fermented shrimp instead of salt. Finally, garnish generously with finely chopped green onions for a delicious finish!
