Korean Spicy Freshwater Fish Soup
Quick answer
Eotang is a traditional Korean soup from the Chungcheong region, made by boiling whole freshwater fish for over forty minutes to coax a thick, deeply savory broth from bo...
What makes this special
- Eotang features freshwater fish simmered for 40 minutes and double-strained for a thick broth.
- Freshwater fish simmered 40 minutes then double-strained to remove bones
- Doenjang and gochugaru build Chungcheong-style layered depth
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Clean 600g of freshwater fish by removing the scales and entrails, then rins...
- 2 Put the fish and 2000ml of water in a pot and bring it to a strong boil over high heat.
- 3 When the flesh has broken down and the broth looks concentrated, turn off the heat.
Eotang is a traditional Korean soup from the Chungcheong region, made by boiling whole freshwater fish for over forty minutes to coax a thick, deeply savory broth from both flesh and bone. The stock is strained twice through a fine sieve to remove every small bone, then returned to heat with radish, doenjang, and minced garlic for another twenty minutes of simmering. The earthy, nutty richness of freshwater fish blends with fermented soybean paste to build a broth of layered depth, and the radish softens fully over the long cook, helping the liquid take on a slightly silky body. Red chili flakes and thick-cut green onion stirred in at the end sharpen the heat and amplify the savory undercurrent of the broth. The preparation takes time and attention, but the dense, bone-drawn concentration of flavor the process produces is difficult to achieve any other way.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Step
Clean 600g of freshwater fish by removing the scales and entrails, then rinse it several times under cold running water.
Drain it in a sieve so excess moisture and muddy flavors do not cloud the broth.
- 2Control
Put the fish and 2000ml of water in a pot and bring it to a strong boil over high heat.
Once it rises, lower the heat slightly and simmer for at least 40 minutes without letting it overflow.
- 3Step
When the flesh has broken down and the broth looks concentrated, turn off the heat.
Strain the liquid twice through a fine sieve or cloth, removing fine bones and floating sediment before continuing.
- 4Prep
Transfer only the clean strained broth to a clean pot.
Add 180g of thin square-cut radish, 1 tablespoon of soybean paste, and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, stirring until the paste dissolves evenly.
- 5Control
Simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
The soup is ready for seasoning when the radish turns translucent and a spoon presses into it easily while the broth feels slightly thicker.
- 6Finish
Stir in 1 tablespoon of red chili flakes and 1 diagonally sliced green onion, then simmer for 10 more minutes.
When the spicy aroma spreads through the broth, serve the soup hot.
After the steps
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