Spicy Fish Cake Soup (Eomuktang) – Quick & Flavorful!
Forget Store-Bought! Homemade Spicy Eomuktang That Rivals Big Brands – Bold, Spicy, and Perfect with Soju!
On chilly days like these, nothing beats a hot and spicy bowl of Eomuktang! This is my special recipe for spicy fish cake soup, tastier than anything you can buy. If you have crab or crab legs, definitely add them when making the broth – it makes the broth incredibly refreshing and bursting with umami. You must try making this! It’s so good, it’ll make you forget about those big brand flavors. If you don’t have crab, don’t worry; dried shrimp and dried pollack flakes also make a wonderfully savory broth.
Main Ingredients- 600g fish cakes (eomuk)
- 2 pieces Korean rice cakes (garaetteok)
- 250g konjac jelly (konnyaku)
- 2L broth (or water)
Secret Broth Ingredients (Optional, for extra flavor!)- 7 crab legs (or 1 small crab)
- 1 piece daikon radish (about 5cm long)
- 1 stalk green onion (mostly the white part)
- 3-4 sheets dried kelp (dashima, approx. 5x5cm)
Seasoning Paste- 1 Tbsp fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp fish sauce (or tuna extract)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- Pinch of black pepper (to taste)
- 7 crab legs (or 1 small crab)
- 1 piece daikon radish (about 5cm long)
- 1 stalk green onion (mostly the white part)
- 3-4 sheets dried kelp (dashima, approx. 5x5cm)
Seasoning Paste- 1 Tbsp fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp fish sauce (or tuna extract)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- Pinch of black pepper (to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s make the flavorful broth. In a pot, combine water (2L or ingredients for broth), crab legs, daikon radish, green onion, and kelp. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 10 minutes to extract the rich flavor. Remove the kelp once the water starts boiling to prevent a bitter taste. Strain the broth through a sieve to get a clear liquid.
Step 2
Blanch the fish cakes and konjac jelly briefly in hot water. This helps remove excess oil from the fish cakes and any unpleasant smell from the konjac. Rinse them under cold water and drain.
Step 3
Cut the konjac jelly into bite-sized pieces (about 2-3 cm). Thread the Korean rice cakes, konjac jelly, and fish cakes onto skewers alternately. Skewers aren’t essential; you can also just add the ingredients directly to the pot.
Step 4
Now, let’s prepare the spicy seasoning paste. In a small bowl, mix together 1 Tbsp fine gochugaru, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 3 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 Tbsp gochujang, and a pinch of black pepper. Stir well until combined.
Step 5
Pour the clear broth into a pot and add the prepared seasoning paste, stirring to dissolve. Once the broth comes to a boil, add the konjac jelly and Korean rice cakes first. Cook over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes until the konjac and rice cakes are tender.
Step 6
Finally, add the skewered fish cakes and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the fish cakes are nicely cooked and tender. This step allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
Step 7
Serve hot and enjoy this delicious spicy Eomuktang! For an extra kick, feel free to add some chopped chili peppers or green onions before serving.
