Jaecheop-guk (Korean Marsh Clam Clear Soup)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 45 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 6
About this dish
Jaecheop-guk is a clear broth soup made from tiny freshwater marsh clams caught in the Seomjin River near Hadong in South Gyeongsang Province.
Read more
The clams are purged thoroughly in salted water before going into a pot of cold water over heat, and as they open they release a concentrated, clean-tasting umami into the broth that produces a liquid both translucent in color and remarkably deep in flavor. Soup soy sauce and minced garlic provide light seasoning once the clams have opened, and a handful of chives goes in at the very end to finish with fragrance. In Hadong the soup has such a strong identity that entire restaurants specialize in nothing else, drawing visitors who come specifically for this one bowl. It has a long reputation as one of the most effective hangover remedies in Korean food culture, and is commonly eaten as a morning meal. Because the clams themselves are so small, this is essentially a broth-forward soup, and finishing a bowl leaves a settled, calming feeling in the stomach.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Soak 500 g marsh clams in lightly salted water for 20 minutes to purge grit.
Lift them out instead of pouring off the water, then rinse several times until no sand remains in the bowl.
- 2Season
Wash 60 g garlic chives well, shake off excess water, and cut them into easy-to-eat lengths.
Keep the minced garlic, soup soy sauce, and salt beside the stove so the broth does not overcook while you search.
- 3Control
Put 1,400 ml water and the clams in a pot, then heat over medium-high heat.
As the water comes to a boil, watch closely and look for the first shells opening instead of leaving the pot unattended.
- 4Control
Once the shells open, immediately reduce the heat to low and skim off the foam rising to the surface.
Work within about 1 minute, because prolonged boiling toughens the tiny clams and clouds the clear broth.
- 5Control
Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, then simmer gently over low heat for only 2 to 3 minutes.
The broth should stay clear while gaining a clean savory taste.
- 6Season
Just before turning off the heat, add the garlic chives and wilt them for about 30 seconds.
Add the 1/2 teaspoon salt gradually, tasting as you go, so the seasoning stays clean rather than salty.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Jaecheop-guk centers on tiny freshwater marsh clams to produce a clear but deeply savory broth.
- Finish cue
- Just before turning off the heat, add the garlic chives and wilt them for about 30 seconds.
- Avoid this
- Do not overcook clams; reduce heat once shells open.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
45min, 6 ingredients
Category median
45min, 8 ingredients
Based on 310 recipes
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