Gomchi-guk (Eelpout Fish Radish Soup)
Gomchi-guk is an East Coast Korean fish soup made with eelpout, a soft-fleshed deep-sea fish rich in natural gelatin. The fish is cut into chunks and simmered with radish in plain water, producing a broth that is remarkably clean yet carries a gentle marine richness and a slightly viscous body from the dissolved collagen. Radish tames any fishiness and adds a refreshing sweetness, while a splash of cheongju rice wine helps eliminate residual off-notes. As the soup cooks, the eelpout flesh breaks apart and melds into the liquid, making the broth and the fish nearly inseparable. Garlic and green onion provide the finishing aromatics. This is a regional specialty of the Gangwon and North Gyeongsang coastal towns, where it is typically served bubbling in a stone pot during the winter months. For those who live far from the coast, frozen or dried eelpout can approximate the experience.
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Instructions
- 1
Clean the eelpout, remove innards, and cut into pieces.
- 2
Slice radish thinly and diagonally slice green onion.
- 3
Boil radish in water for 10 minutes to sweeten the broth.
- 4
Add fish, rice wine, and garlic, then simmer over medium heat for 8 minutes.
- 5
Season with salt, add green onion, and boil briefly to finish.
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