Gul-guk (Clear Oyster Radish Soup)

Soak 250 g oysters in 3% salted water, then swish them gently with your fingertips to loosen grit and shell fragments.

Lift them into a colander and drain well so the soup stays clean and not muddy.

Slice 150 g radish into thin 0.3 cm square pieces and cut 1/2 green onion on the diagonal.

Keep the radish pieces even, because thick slices take longer to soften and can leave the broth tasting flat.

Put 1200 ml water and the radish in a pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat.

Once bubbling, simmer about 10 minutes, until the radish edges look translucent and the broth tastes lightly sweet.

Stir in 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, then simmer for 1 minute to settle the seasoning.

Skim off foam as it rises, because leaving it in can make the clear broth cloudy.

Add the drained oysters and cook over medium heat for only 3 to 4 minutes.

Stop as soon as the edges curl and the centers turn plump, since longer boiling will shrink the oysters and make them tough.

Add the green onion and adjust the final seasoning with 0.3 teaspoon salt, then simmer for just 30 seconds.

When the onion aroma rises, turn off the heat and serve the soup steaming hot with rice.