Korean Monkfish Soup (Spicy Southern Coastal Fish Broth)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 60 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
Agwi-tang is the soup form of Korea's monkfish repertoire, originating along the fishing villages of the southern coast where the fish - known as agwi or agu depending on dialect - is caught and sold fresh daily.
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Where braised preparations like agwi-jjim build intensity through reduction and heavy sauce, the tang prioritizes the broth. Anchovy stock is the base; radish simmers in it for eight minutes to release its sweetness before the monkfish enters. As the fish cooks gently over medium heat, its collagen dissolves into the liquid and gives it body. The monkfish flesh itself is mild and gelatinous, a texture unlike most white fish. Bean sprouts go in at the end to contribute crunch against the soft fish. Sliced green onion and a hit of gochugaru cloud the broth red and add spice. In coastal towns this was morning food - hangover soup served steaming at predawn markets to fishermen and dock workers before the day started.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Rinse 500 g monkfish briefly under cold water, cut it into serving pieces, and pat it dry well.
If the smell is strong, coat it with 1 tablespoon cheongju and let it sit for just 10 minutes.
- 2Heat
Cut 150 g Korean radish into large chunks so it can sweeten the broth without breaking apart.
Slice 1 green onion on the diagonal, then rinse 100 g bean sprouts and drain them before cooking.
- 3Control
Put the radish into 1.5 L anchovy stock and bring it to a steady boil over medium heat.
Once it bubbles, cook for 8 minutes, until the edges look slightly translucent and the broth tastes sweeter.
- 4Control
Add the monkfish and keep the pot at medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Avoid a hard boil because the flesh can break apart; skim foam from the surface and do not stir aggressively.
- 5Control
Stir 1 tablespoon red chili flakes and 1 tablespoon minced garlic into the broth until the color spreads evenly.
Add the bean sprouts and simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes so they stay crisp, not limp.
- 6Finish
Add the sliced green onion and boil for only 1 more minute so it keeps some bite.
Taste the broth, adjust with salt or soup soy sauce if it is flat, then serve the soup hot.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Agwi-tang centers on tender monkfish and daikon simmered into a spicy, oceanic southern coastal broth.
- Finish cue
- Once it bubbles, cook for 8 minutes, until the edges look slightly translucent and the broth tastes sweeter.
- Avoid this
- Avoid a hard boil because the flesh can break apart; skim foam from the surface and do not stir aggressively.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
60min, 7 ingredients
Category median
45min, 8 ingredients
Based on 310 recipes
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