Delicious and Refreshing Swimming Crab Soup (Ggotgetang)
How to Make a Flavorful Swimming Crab Soup with Fresh Horsehair Crabs – Recommended for Seafood Foraging! (Referencing Choi Yobi Hwang Jihee’s Sweet Pumpkin Crab Soup Seasoning Recipe)
I recently went foraging for seafood and brought back a bounty of fresh horsehair crabs. To make good use of them, I prepared a horsehair crab soup with a delightfully sweet and refreshingly clear broth. I enhanced the flavor even further by referencing the seasoning recipe from Choi Yobi’s Hwang Jihee’s sweet pumpkin crab soup. Enjoy this unforgettable delicacy made with precious horsehair crabs that filled my freezer!
Main Ingredients- 10 cleaned horsehair crabs
- 6 Tbsp Cheongju (rice wine, for soaking and removing fishy smell)
- 250g bean sprouts (rinsed thoroughly and trimmed)
- 1/4 onion (thickly sliced)
- 2 crown daisy (large pieces)
- 1 king oyster mushroom (sliced into bite-sized pieces)
- 1.75L clear water
- 1 pack enoki mushrooms (base removed, separated)
- A handful of crown daisy (for aromatic garnish)
- 1 Korean green chili pepper (seeds removed, diagonally sliced)
- 1/4 green onion (diagonally sliced)
Golden Seasoning Paste- 1.5 Tbsp Doenjang (fermented soybean paste)
- 4.5 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1.5 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Cheongju (rice wine)
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/3 Tbsp black pepper powder
- 1 Tbsp tuna extract (for added umami!)
- 2/3 Tbsp salt (for adjusting taste)
Broth Ingredients- 7 dried anchovies (guts removed, for broth)
- 1 dried big-eyed herring (Deipori)
- 1 dried red chili pepper (for a hint of heat)
- 9 slices of radish
- 2 green onion roots (to remove any gamey smell)
- 2 slices of fresh ginger
- 3 onion skins (for enhanced flavor)
- 2 pieces of dried kelp (approx. 10x10cm)
- 1.5 Tbsp Doenjang (fermented soybean paste)
- 4.5 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1.5 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Cheongju (rice wine)
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/3 Tbsp black pepper powder
- 1 Tbsp tuna extract (for added umami!)
- 2/3 Tbsp salt (for adjusting taste)
Broth Ingredients- 7 dried anchovies (guts removed, for broth)
- 1 dried big-eyed herring (Deipori)
- 1 dried red chili pepper (for a hint of heat)
- 9 slices of radish
- 2 green onion roots (to remove any gamey smell)
- 2 slices of fresh ginger
- 3 onion skins (for enhanced flavor)
- 2 pieces of dried kelp (approx. 10x10cm)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Rinse the fresh horsehair crabs thoroughly under running water. Separate the bottom and top shells, and meticulously remove the innards, gills, mouth, and chin parts. It’s crucial to get rid of any fishy odor during this step. Cut the cleaned crabs in half to prepare them for cooking.
Step 2
Pour 6 tablespoons of Cheongju (rice wine) over the cleaned horsehair crabs and mix well. Cheongju helps to eliminate any fishy smell and tenderize the crab meat. Let it sit for a while to allow the flavors to meld.
Step 3
Now, let’s make the rich seasoning paste. In a bowl, combine the Doenjang, Gochujang, Gochugaru, Cheongju, minced garlic, black pepper powder, tuna extract, and salt. Mix them thoroughly until smooth and lump-free. We’ve adopted the excellent seasoning technique from Choi Yobi’s Hwang Jihee’s recipe for a delicious depth of flavor!
Step 4
Place the dried anchovies, ginger slices, Deipori, onion skins, green onion roots, kelp, radish, and dried red chili pepper into a broth bag (or cheesecloth). Tie it securely. These ingredients will form the foundation of our clear and refreshing broth.
Step 5
In a large pot, add the trimmed bean sprouts, thickly sliced onion, large pieces of crown daisy, bite-sized king oyster mushrooms, and the horsehair crabs that have been marinating in Cheongju. Next, add the prepared broth bag, the seasoning paste, and 1.75 liters of clear water. Ensure all ingredients are submerged.
Step 6
Cover the pot with a lid and bring it to a boil over high heat. Starting on high heat helps to quickly extract the flavors from the ingredients.
Step 7
Once the soup comes to a rolling boil, remove the broth bag. This step extracts the deep flavor of the broth while discarding the solid ingredients, resulting in a cleaner taste.
Step 8
Skim off any foam that rises to the surface while the soup is boiling. This process is key to achieving a clear and refreshing broth.
Step 9
Now it’s time to add the fresh vegetables for aroma and texture. Arrange the separated enoki mushrooms, fragrant crown daisy, diagonally sliced Korean green chili peppers, and diagonally sliced green onions attractively on top of the soup.
Step 10
Let the soup simmer for another few minutes, allowing all the ingredients to meld together beautifully. Your delicious horsehair crab soup is now ready! Savor the harmonious blend of fresh seafood and vegetables.
