Korean Mallow Soup (Joseon-Era Doenjang Mallow Soup)

Quick answer

Total time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 5

About this dish

Auk-guk - mallow doenjang soup - has been part of Korean home cooking since the Joseon era, when auk (mallow) was among the most commonly grown leafy greens in household kitchen gardens.

An anchovy-kelp stock provides the base, and doenjang is pushed through a sieve directly into the simmering liquid so it dissolves without lumps. Garlic contributes a quiet, pungent undercurrent beneath the fermented paste. Mallow leaves, torn roughly by hand, wilt into the broth in under a minute. What separates auk-guk from other doenjang-guks is textural: the mallow's natural mucilage thickens the soup slightly and gives it a slippery, almost coating quality on the tongue, unlike the clean, transparent broth of spinach or radish versions. Korean folk tradition holds that nursing mothers ate auk-guk to support milk production, a belief that reflects how deeply the plant was embedded in everyday domestic life. The soup reaches its best in early summer when fresh mallow leaves are at their most tender.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

Mallow (auk)150 gg

Doenjang2 tbsptbsp

Minced garlic1 tsptsp

Salted shrimp1 tsptsp

Anchovy broth500 mlml

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Season

Trim 150g mallow by removing the tough stems and keeping mostly the leaves.

Tear any large leaves by hand into bite-size pieces, then place them in salted water so the surface softens before washing.
2

Step

Rub the leaves firmly with your hands until green water and slippery mucilage come out.

When the grassy smell weakens, rinse in clean water, then drain well in a sieve so the soup does not become watery.
3

Control

Pour 500ml anchovy broth into a pot and bring it to a strong boil over high heat.

Once it bubbles actively, lower to medium heat so the fermented paste can dissolve cleanly without tasting harsh.
4

Control

Set a fine sieve over the simmering broth and press in 2 tablespoons doenjang with a spoon.

Scrape the edge of the sieve as needed, because leftover lumps can cloud the broth and season it unevenly.
5

Control

Stir in 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1 teaspoon salted shrimp, then simmer for about 1 minute.

Taste the broth before cooking longer, since salted shrimp can quickly make the soup too salty.
6

Finish

Add the mallow only at the end and cook over medium heat for less than 1 minute.

Serve as soon as the leaves turn bright green, wilt softly, and the broth looks slightly thicker.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Auk-guk uses mallow leaves to create a signature silky texture in a traditional Joseon-era soybean broth.
Finish cue: Add the mallow only at the end and cook over medium heat for less than 1 minute.
Avoid this: Trim 150g mallow by removing the tough stems and keeping mostly the leaves.