Clear Gul Dubu Guk (Korean Oyster Tofu Soup)
Swirl 220 g fresh oysters gently in 3% salt water (15 g salt for 500 ml water) and drain them well. Simmer 150 g thinly sliced Korean radish in 1 L kelp stock for about 6 minutes, season with 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tbsp soup soy sauce, and heat 300 g cubed soft tofu in it for about 3 minutes. Add the oysters just before the broth reaches a strong boil and cook them only 30 seconds to 1 minute, until plump, then adjust with salt.
Quick answer
- Total time
- 30 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 3 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
With oysters and big cubes of tofu in a clear kelp broth, the salt from the oysters seasons the soup more than you might expect.
Read more
So the salt goes in only after the oysters, a taste at a time.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Place 220 g fresh oysters in 3% salt water, using 15 g salt for 500 ml water.
Do not rub them hard. Swirl gently to loosen grit or shell bits, then drain well in a colander.
- 2
Slice 150 g Korean radish into thin 0.4 cm pieces so it softens quickly and sweetens the broth.
Cut 300 g soft tofu into generous 2 by 2 by 1.5 cm cubes to reduce breakage while simmering.
- 3
Put 1000 ml kelp stock and the sliced radish in a pot over medium heat.
Once it begins to boil, keep it at a steady simmer for about 6 minutes, until the radish edges look semi-translucent.
- 4
Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, then stir the broth lightly to dissolve the seasoning.
Hold back the salt for now because the oysters will add more briny seasoning later.
- 5
Add the tofu and keep the soup over medium heat for about 3 minutes, just until the cubes are hot through.
Avoid poking them often with chopsticks. Gently nudge the broth so it flows between the pieces.
- 6
Add the oysters just before the broth reaches a strong boil, then cook only 30 seconds to 1 minute.
When they look plump, add 30 g green onion, adjust with salt, and turn off the heat immediately.
Use-up ingredient planner
Turn these ingredients into two more meals
The overlap excludes basic seasonings. Open the next recipe and your selected dishes will stay with you.

Korean Spicy Fish Roe Stew
soft tofu, kelp stock

Korean Radish and Salted Shrimp Stew
soft tofu, korean radish

Dubu Guk (Korean Tofu Soup)
soft tofu, korean radish