Korean Potato Perilla Seed Soup
Nutty, creamy, and dairy-free - this Korean potato perilla seed soup is the kind of bowl that warms you from the inside out on a cold day. Potatoes are simmered in anchovy-kelp stock until they start to break apart and thicken the liquid naturally. Ground perilla seed is then stirred in, transforming the broth from clear to opaque and layering on a distinctive toasted, earthy fragrance. The flavor sits in a unique space - neither as pungent as doenjang soup nor as neutral as plain potato broth - with a lingering nuttiness that builds with each spoonful. Onion and green onion provide background sweetness, and a touch of soup soy sauce ties the seasoning together. This is everyday home cooking in Korea, the kind of soup that rarely appears on restaurant menus but shows up on family dinner tables whenever the weather turns cold.
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Instructions
- 1
Slice potato into half-moons and onion into thin strips.
- 2
Boil potato and onion in stock for 10 minutes until tender.
- 3
Season with soup soy sauce and minced garlic.
- 4
Mix perilla powder with a little broth first, then add and simmer 5 minutes.
- 5
Finish seasoning with salt, add green onion, and boil 1 minute.
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