Korean Rockfish Soup (Whole Rockfish in Spicy Radish Broth)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 45 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Starting with a base of boiled radish to sweeten the water, this rockfish soup relies on using the entire fish to build a complex broth.
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Red pepper flakes, garlic, and soup soy sauce provide the seasoning before the fish and tofu go into the pot for a fifteen-minute simmer. The collagen and juices released from the rockfish bones create a physical thickness in the liquid that cannot be replicated with fillets alone. Just before the heat is turned off, a handful of water parsley adds a fresh contrast to the spicy, ocean-heavy profile of the soup. While the small bones of the rockfish require slow and careful eating, they are exactly what gives this dish its characteristic intensity. A slice of ginger added early in the process works to neutralize fishy scents. For extra heat, some sliced cheongyang chilies can be added, or a spoonful of ground perilla seeds can be stirred in at the end to introduce a nutty, creamy layer to the texture. This soup pairs naturally with a bowl of steamed rice, where the process of picking meat from the bones becomes a central part of the eating experience.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Clean the whole rockfish by removing scales, innards, and any blood under running water.
Cut it into serving pieces, but keep the bones attached because they are needed to give the broth body and depth.
- 2Prep
Slice 200 g daikon into thick, flat pieces so it can sweeten the broth without falling apart.
Cut 200 g tofu into large blocks, then rinse and trim 50 g water parsley for adding at the end.
- 3Control
Put 1200 ml water and the daikon in a pot and bring it to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, lower to medium heat and cook about 7 minutes, until the radish edges look slightly translucent.
- 4Season
Stir in 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon soup soy sauce.
Mix well so the seasoning does not clump, then boil for 1 more minute to tint the broth evenly.
- 5Control
Add the rockfish and wait until the soup returns to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to medium-low.
Skim off foam, add the tofu, and simmer about 15 minutes without rough stirring so the fish stays intact.
- 6Finish
When the broth looks slightly thick and the rockfish flesh has turned opaque white, add the water parsley.
Warm it for only 30 seconds to keep its fresh aroma, then serve hot and remind diners to watch for small bones.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Collagen from whole rockfish bones gives the liquid a thick, substantial texture.
- Finish cue
- When the broth looks slightly thick and the rockfish flesh has turned opaque white, add the water parsley.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
45min, 8 ingredients
Category median
45min, 8 ingredients
Based on 310 recipes
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