Muguk (Korean Radish Anchovy Broth Soup)

Quick answer

Total time: 35 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Muguk is the most elemental expression of Korean soup: radish cut generously and simmered in anchovy-kelp stock until the broth runs clear, sweet, and gently savory.

The simplicity of the ingredient list is deceptive. As the radish cooks, its starch and natural sugars dissolve into the water, building a broth that tastes mild on the surface but carries real depth underneath. Cutting the radish in thick cubes or wide slabs preserves its shape through the long simmer while allowing the interior to soften completely. Slicing too thin causes the radish to disintegrate and the broth to turn cloudy. Seasoned with nothing more than soup soy sauce, garlic, and sliced green onion, muguk is versatile enough to sit beside any banchan without competing. It serves equally well as a framework: add beef strips and it becomes sogogi-muguk, add dried pollock and it becomes hwangtae-muguk, swap the soup soy for salted shrimp and the character shifts toward briny and refreshing. All that is needed to start a pot are a single radish, a handful of dried anchovies, and a strip of dried kelp, which is why Korean households return to this soup more frequently than almost any other. Reheated the next day, the radish softens further and the broth deepens, making leftovers better than the original.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

korean radish300 gg

anchovy stock1300 mlml

soup soy sauce1 tbsptbsp

minced garlic1 tsptsp

green onion½ eaea

salt⅓ tsptsp

Shop All Ingredients

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Trim only the rough outer parts of 300 g Korean radish, then cut it a little thicker than thin square slices.

Avoid slicing too thinly, because the radish can break down quickly and make the broth cloudy.
2

Control

Pour 1300 ml anchovy stock into a pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the radish once the stock is bubbling, then let it return to a steady boil before lowering the heat.
3

Control

Lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes.

The radish is on track when the edges turn slightly translucent and a chopstick can enter with gentle pressure, while the pieces still hold their shape.
4

Control

Stir in 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce until evenly dispersed.

Reduce to medium-low heat instead of boiling hard, so the garlic aroma softens and the clear broth stays clean.
5

Control

Simmer for 7 more minutes over medium-low heat to draw out the radish sweetness.

Partially cover the pot so the 1300 ml of anchovy broth does not evaporate excessively.
6

Finish

Add 0.5 sliced green onion and simmer for just 1 more minute.

Taste the broth, then adjust with 0.3 teaspoon salt at the end so the soup finishes clear, lightly seasoned, and not overly salty.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Muguk softens large radish cuts in anchovy stock until the broth runs sweet and clear.
Finish cue: The radish is on track when the edges turn slightly translucent and a chopstick can enter with gentle pressure, while the pieces still hold their shape.
Avoid this: Avoid slicing too thinly, because the radish can break down quickly and make the broth cloudy.
Storage and reheating: Reheated the next day, the radish softens further and the broth deepens, making leftovers better than the original.