📝 About This Recipe
Chueotang is a legendary Korean 'power food' traditionally enjoyed during the autumn harvest to restore stamina and vitality. This deep, earthy soup features pond loaches simmered until tender, then ground to create a rich, velvety broth thickened with nutty perilla seeds and soybean paste. Infused with aromatic greens and a kick of spice, it offers a complex, soul-warming experience that represents the pinnacle of Korean rustic countryside cooking.
🥗 Ingredients
The Loach Base
- 500 grams Live or fresh loaches (Mudfish) (scrubbed thoroughly with coarse salt)
- 10 cups Water (for boiling)
- 1 piece Ginger (2-inch knob, smashed)
- 3 tablespoons Cheongju (Korean rice wine) (to remove fishy odor)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 300 grams Ugeoji (Blanched Napa cabbage outer leaves) (squeezed dry and chopped)
- 1 bunch Bootsu (Korean chives) (cut into 2-inch lengths)
- 3 stalks Green onions (sliced diagonally)
- 2 pieces Cheongyang chili peppers (minced for heat)
The Seasoning Paste
- 3 tablespoons Doenjang (Fermented soybean paste) (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons Gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes) (fine or coarse)
- 2 tablespoons Minced garlic (freshly minced)
- 1 tablespoon Gochujang (Korean red chili paste) (for depth)
- 1 tablespoon Soup soy sauce (Guk-ganjang) (for seasoning)
The Finishing Touches
- 4 tablespoons Deul-kkae-garu (Perilla seed powder) (peeled/white variety preferred)
- 1/2 teaspoon Chopi or Sancho powder (Korean Sichuan pepper, essential for authenticity)
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper (ground)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Place the live loaches in a large bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of coarse salt. Cover immediately with a lid as they will thrash. After 10 minutes, when they have stopped moving and released their mucus, scrub them thoroughly under cold running water until they are no longer slimy.
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2
In a large pot, combine the cleaned loaches, 10 cups of water, the smashed ginger, and rice wine. Bring to a boil over high heat.
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3
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 40-50 minutes until the fish are completely tender and falling apart. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
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4
Using a fine-mesh strainer, remove the fish from the broth. Reserve the broth. Place the fish in a blender with 1 cup of the cooking broth and pulse until completely pureed. For a traditional texture, you can push the fish through a sieve to remove fine bones, though blending is more common today.
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5
Return the pureed fish and the reserved broth to the pot and bring back to a gentle simmer.
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6
In a small bowl, mix the blanched cabbage (ugeoji) with the doenjang, gochugaru, gochujang, and minced garlic. Massage the seasoning into the greens to ensure the flavors penetrate.
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7
Add the seasoned cabbage mixture to the pot. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are very soft and the broth has thickened.
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8
Stir in the perilla seed powder. This will instantly transform the soup into a creamy, nutty consistency.
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9
Add the green onions, minced chili peppers, and soup soy sauce. Taste and adjust saltiness if necessary.
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10
Just before serving, add the Korean chives (bootsu). They only need 1 minute to wilt in the residual heat.
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11
Ladle the hot soup into deep bowls. Serve with a side of chopi (sancho) powder for individuals to add according to their preference.
💡 Chef's Tips
The secret to a clean-tasting Chueotang is the salt-scrubbing process; don't skip it or the soup will be muddy. If you cannot find fresh loaches, many Korean grocery stores sell frozen whole loaches or even pre-boiled loach meat. For the most authentic flavor, use 'Chopi' powder; it provides a citrusy, numbing tingle that cuts through the richness of the fish. If the soup feels too thin, simmer it uncovered for an extra 10 minutes before adding the perilla powder. Always use 'Guk-ganjang' (soup soy sauce) rather than regular soy sauce to maintain the soup's clarity and deep umami without making it too dark.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a bowl of warm, fluffy short-grain white rice. Pair with Kkakdugi (crunchy radish kimchi); the acidity perfectly balances the earthy soup. Offer extra minced raw garlic and fresh green chilies on the side for diners to customize their spice level. Enjoy with a chilled glass of Makgeolli (Korean rice wine) to complement the rustic, farmhouse flavors. Include a side of blanched bean sprouts seasoned with sesame oil for a textural contrast.