Spicy and Nutritious Gochujang Spinach Soup (Sigeumchi Guk)
Hearty and Wholesome Korean Soups / Recipes Featuring Spinach
Hello there! Just as the saying ‘Bab-sim eun gukryeok’ (rice power is national strength) suggests, a warm bowl of soup can truly invigorate us. Spinach, a vegetable familiar to many thanks to Popeye, is packed with Vitamin A, which is excellent for eye health. Its abundant fiber content also makes it highly effective for preventing and alleviating constipation. Furthermore, it’s beneficial for anemia and may help reduce the risk of stroke. To choose fresh spinach, look for leaves with a deep green color. Store it wrapped in newspaper in your refrigerator’s vegetable crisper to keep it fresh. Today, we’ll be making a delicious Gochujang Spinach Soup that’s both flavorful and nutritious. It’s so satisfying, you’ll want to finish every last spoonful of rice!
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 bunch fresh spinach (approx. 200g)
- 1 liter water (approx. 5 cups)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 large green onion (approx. 50g)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare 1/2 bunch of fresh spinach (approximately 200g). Fresh spinach is key to a deep, delicious broth.
Step 2
Fill a large bowl with cold water and add 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Submerge the spinach in the water and let it soak for about 5 minutes. This process helps loosen and settle any dirt or debris clinging to the leaves, allowing for a thorough cleaning. Afterward, rinse the spinach under running water three to four times until thoroughly clean. Drain the spinach well using a colander.
Step 3
Remove any yellowed or wilted leaves from the drained spinach. While the roots are nutritious, if you prefer a softer texture, trim off any rough parts with a knife or cut the spinach into approximately 5cm lengths. You can also choose to leave the roots intact.
Step 4
Let’s prepare the natural seasonings to enrich the soup’s flavor. For anchovy powder, remove the innards from dried anchovies, toast them in a dry pan without oil until crisp, and then grind them into a fine powder using a grinder. For shrimp powder, toast dried small shrimp (like cherry shrimp) in a dry pan to remove any raw smell, then grind them. Dried shiitake mushrooms can be ground as they are to add their distinct aroma. Prepare the dried chili seeds. You can use them whole, or grind them along with the seeds if you desire a spicier broth. Have your soup soy sauce (or regular soy sauce) ready. Adding a little doenjang (soybean paste) along with gochujang creates a much richer and more savory flavor than using gochujang alone. Finally, prepare your minced garlic.
Step 5
To make straining the broth easier, place the prepared natural seasonings into a mesh tea bag or a fine-mesh sieve bag. This will allow you to easily remove the flavor base later. Add the anchovy powder, shrimp powder, shiitake mushroom powder, chili seeds, and minced garlic to the bag.
Step 6
Wash and slice half a green onion diagonally into approximately 5cm pieces. These will add a subtle sweetness and aroma to the soup.
Step 7
In a pot, pour 1 liter (about 5 cups) of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the mesh bag containing the natural seasonings. Let it simmer for a moment to infuse the broth. Then, add the Gochujang (2 Tbsp) and Doenjang (1 Tbsp). Dissolve the pastes in the broth, either by breaking them up with a spoon or by whisking them through a sieve to ensure they are well incorporated without lumps.
Step 8
Once the broth returns to a boil, add the prepared spinach. Even though spinach looks voluminous, it wilts down significantly. Be careful not to overcook it. Cook just until the spinach is tender.
Step 9
Add 1 tablespoon of soup soy sauce (or regular soy sauce) for umami. Taste the soup and, if needed, add a pinch of salt to adjust to your preference. Once the seasoning is correct, remove the mesh bag to ensure a clear broth. If you omitted the mesh bag and left the ingredients in, you can remove them now if desired.
Step 10
Finally, add the diagonally sliced green onions and let the soup simmer for another moment. Your delicious Gochujang Spinach Soup is now ready! Enjoy it with a warm bowl of rice.
