Korean Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup
Quick answer
Jjamppong is a Korean-Chinese noodle soup where seafood and vegetables are stir-fried in chili oil at very high heat before broth is added, a sequence that fundamentally...
What makes this special
- Chili powder bloomed in hot oil gives this seafood noodle soup a scorched, aromatic heat.
- Chili powder bloomed in oil first coats the broth with scorched aroma beyond just heat
- Seafood umami and chicken stock merge into jjamppong's distinctively layered broth
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Score 120g squid body at 1cm intervals and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- 2 Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat.
- 3 Add 80g onion and 120g cabbage and stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes until the vegetables wilt.
Jjamppong is a Korean-Chinese noodle soup where seafood and vegetables are stir-fried in chili oil at very high heat before broth is added, a sequence that fundamentally shapes the soup. Blooming gochugaru in hot oil instead of adding it directly to liquid extracts fat-soluble compounds that carry a smoky, toasted depth the raw powder cannot contribute. Squid, mussels, and shrimp release their own juices during the fry stage, and those juices dissolve into the chicken stock when the liquid hits the pan. Cabbage and onion caramelize in the residual oil and give off natural sugars that temper the chili heat. Soy sauce binds the seasoning and gives the broth its reddish-brown depth. Springy fresh wheat noodles absorb the concentrated broth, and by the time they reach the table the noodles are already carrying the full flavor of the soup in every strand.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Score 120g squid body at 1cm intervals and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Scrub 150g mussels with a brush, remove the beards, and rinse.
- 2Control
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat.
Add green onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds to infuse the oil with onion fragrance.
- 3Control
Add 80g onion and 120g cabbage and stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes until the vegetables wilt.
- 4Heat
Add 2 tbsp gochugaru and stir-fry 20 seconds to bloom the color and aroma.
Add squid and mussels and stir-fry quickly for 1 minute until just cooked on the outside.
- 5Control
Pour in 1 tbsp soy sauce and 800ml stock.
Boil over high heat for 6-7 minutes to fully infuse the broth with seafood flavor.
- 6Heat
Cook 300g Chinese noodles separately in another pot as directed, drain, and place in bowls.
Ladle the hot broth and toppings generously over them.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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