Korean Fish Cake Soup (Clear Anchovy Radish Broth)

Slice 250g Korean radish into thick 0.5cm pieces, then thinly chop 1 scallion.

Thread 400g fish cake onto skewers or cut it into bite-size pieces, keeping the pieces large enough to hold their shape in the broth.

Pour hot water over the fish cake to rinse away surface oil, then drain it right away.

Do not soak it for long, because the fish cake can lose flavor and become too soft before it goes into the soup.

Put 1800ml water, 20g dried anchovies, and 10g dried kelp in a pot and set it over high heat.

As soon as the water begins to boil, remove only the kelp to keep the broth clear.

Lower the heat to medium and simmer the anchovy broth for 10 minutes, skimming foam from the surface.

Add the radish and cook about 8 minutes, until the edges look translucent but the pieces still hold together.

Remove the anchovies, then add the fish cake and 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce.

Keep the pot at a steady medium simmer for about 7 minutes, until the fish cake plumps gently and absorbs the broth.

Taste the broth and simmer a little longer if it tastes too thin, rather than boiling hard.

Add the scallion and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper, bring it back to a brief simmer, and serve hot.