Golden Recipe for Deep and Refreshing Dried Pollack Soup (Hwangtae-haejangguk)
Ultimate Hangover Cure! How to Make Refreshing Dried Pollack Soup (Bugeo-guk, Hwangtae-guk) Recipe
Introducing an easy-to-make, refreshing, and slightly spicy Dried Pollack Soup (Hwangtae-haejangguk) recipe you can enjoy at home. This golden recipe elevates the classic Bugeo-guk (Dried Pollack Soup) with its clear and deep broth flavor. It’s perfect for soothing a hangover or for a hearty breakfast. Let this recipe help you feel refreshed from the inside out!
Main Ingredients- Radish 150g (approx. 1/4 medium radish)
- Dried Pollack Strips 30g (or Dried Cod Strips)
- Green Onion 20g (mix of white and green parts)
- Red chili pepper (or Cheongyang pepper) 1 pc
- Egg 1 pc (or Silken Tofu 100g, or both)
First Simmering (Broth Base)- Water 300cc
- Sesame Oil 2 Tbsp (or Perilla Oil)
Second Simmering (Flavoring)- Soy Sauce for Soup (Guk-ganjang) 1 Tbsp (8g)
- Anchovy Fish Sauce (Myeolchi Aekjeot) 1 Tbsp (8g)
Cooking the Soup- Water 4 cups (800cc)
- Salted Seasoning Salt (Masosalt) 1/3 Tbsp
- Mirin (Rice Wine) 2 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic 1/2 Tbsp
- Beef Dashida (or MSG-based soup stock) 1/5 Tbsp (omit if not using, substitute with salt or Guk-ganjang)
- Black Pepper to taste
- Water 300cc
- Sesame Oil 2 Tbsp (or Perilla Oil)
Second Simmering (Flavoring)- Soy Sauce for Soup (Guk-ganjang) 1 Tbsp (8g)
- Anchovy Fish Sauce (Myeolchi Aekjeot) 1 Tbsp (8g)
Cooking the Soup- Water 4 cups (800cc)
- Salted Seasoning Salt (Masosalt) 1/3 Tbsp
- Mirin (Rice Wine) 2 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic 1/2 Tbsp
- Beef Dashida (or MSG-based soup stock) 1/5 Tbsp (omit if not using, substitute with salt or Guk-ganjang)
- Black Pepper to taste
- Water 4 cups (800cc)
- Salted Seasoning Salt (Masosalt) 1/3 Tbsp
- Mirin (Rice Wine) 2 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic 1/2 Tbsp
- Beef Dashida (or MSG-based soup stock) 1/5 Tbsp (omit if not using, substitute with salt or Guk-ganjang)
- Black Pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Slice the radish into thin, bite-sized pieces, about 2-3mm thick. If you don’t have a scale, a heaping cup from a rice bowl is a good approximation.
Step 2
Slice the green onions diagonally, using both the white and green parts.
Step 3
Finely mince the red chili pepper(s). Feel free to add one or two more if you prefer it spicier.
Step 4
Lightly beat the egg in a bowl. You can substitute the egg with 100g of silken tofu, or use both for added texture and richness.
Step 5
Take a handful of dried pollack strips or dried cod strips; this should be approximately 30g.
Step 6
Cut the dried pollack or dried cod into manageable pieces, about 2-3cm in length.
Step 7
Heat a dry pan over medium heat. Add the dried pollack strips and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until they turn a light golden brown. This step removes any fishy odor and deepens the pollack’s flavor.
Step 8
Pour 300cc of water into the pan with the stir-fried pollack and add 2 tablespoons of sesame oil (or perilla oil). The oil helps to tenderize the pollack and enhance its aroma.
Step 9
Simmer over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the liquid reduces by about half. The broth will become milky white, similar to bone broth. This process extracts the rich flavor of the pollack into the broth.
Step 10
Add 1 tablespoon of Guk-ganjang (soy sauce for soup) and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce to the simmering pollack.
Step 11
Continue to simmer over medium heat for another 1-2 minutes. This allows the soy sauce and fish sauce to meld with the pollack, and further reduces the liquid to about half of its current amount (or a quarter of the original). This intensifies the flavor concentration.
Step 12
Now, pour 4 cups (800cc) of water into a soup pot and add the sliced radish. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 13
Once the broth starts boiling, add the seasoning ingredients: 1/3 Tbsp salted seasoning salt, 2 Tbsp mirin, 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic, and 1/5 Tbsp Beef Dashida. If you’re not using Dashida, adjust the seasoning with salt or Guk-ganjang. Using anchovy broth instead of water will add even more depth.
Step 14
Let it boil for about 2 minutes to cook the radish. Then, add the sliced green onions and minced chili peppers. Gently drizzle the beaten egg in a circular motion from the edge of the ladle to create delicate egg ribbons. Stir gently to disperse the egg.
Step 15
Once the soup comes to a rolling boil after adding the egg, simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the egg is fully cooked and the ingredients are well combined in the broth. (Revised from previous step: The previous step 13 was very similar to step 14. Step 14 has been refined to focus on the final simmering for 2-3 minutes after adding the egg and vegetables.)
Step 16
For an even richer flavor, instead of serving immediately after cooking, turn off the heat and let the soup rest for about 30 minutes. Then, bring it back to a boil. This resting period allows the flavors to meld and deepen significantly.
Step 17
Serve hot with plenty of pollack and vegetables over rice, and pour generous amounts of the flavorful broth. Enjoy the spicy, refreshing, and comforting taste that will surely clear your head!
