Simple Dried Pollock Radish Soup (북어무국) – Light & Comforting Korean Soup
Dried pollock radish soup (Buk-eo Mu-guk, 북어무국) is a light, savory, and nourishing Korean soup that is often enjoyed as a hangover remedy or a gentle, easy-to-digest meal. The combination of dried pollock (북어), radish (무), and perilla oil (들기름) creates a deep umami flavor with minimal ingredients.
This simple and quick recipe brings out the natural flavors of the dried pollock and radish, enhanced by the nutty richness of perilla oil and fermented umami from Korean soup soy sauce (국간장) and salted shrimp (새우젓).
Equipment
Ingredients
- Main ingredient
- Dried pollock (북어채)
- Daikon radish (무)
- Firm tofu
- Green onion
- Perilla oil (or sesame oil)
- Water
- Seasoning
- Korean soup soy sauce (국간장)
- Salted shrimp (새우젓) or salt
Instructions
- Soak dried pollock (북어채) in a bowl with water and let it soak for a few minutes until slightly softened. Cut into bite-sized pieces if it’s not already cut properly. Reserve the soaking water—this adds a deep, savory flavor to the soup.
- Slice the radish into 1cm thick half-moon pieces for a tender yet firm texture.
- Cube the tofu into bite-sized pieces.
- Slice the green onion into 2-3 cm pieces.
- Heat a pot over medium heat and add 1 tbsp of perilla oil (or sesame oil). Add the sliced radish and soaked pollock and stir-fry for about 3 minutes until the radish becomes slightly translucent.
- Pour in the reserved soaking water (about 5 cups). For a richer broth, add 1 anchovy soup stock tablet (optional). Bring the soup to a boil over high heat.
- Once the soup is boiling, add the cubed tofu. Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 20 minutes until the flavors deepen.
- Taste the soup and season with Korean soup soy sauce (국간장) and salted shrimp (새우젓). Adjust the saltiness to your preference.
- Add the sliced green onion and let it boil for 1 more minute.
- Turn off the heat and serve the soup hot. Enjoy with a bowl of steamed rice and simple side dishes (banchan, 반찬).
Tips
- For a stronger broth, use anchovy-kelp stock instead of just water.
- For a spicy kick, add ½ tsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes).
- If you don’t have salted shrimp, substitute with a small amount of fish sauce or extra soy sauce.
Dried pollock radish soup
Ingredients
- 70 g Dried pollock
- 450 g Daikon radish or Korean radish
- 300 g Firm tofu
- 50 g Green onion
- 2 tbsp Perilla oil or sesame oil
- 5 cups Water
- 1 tbsp Korean soup soy sauce (Guk-ganjang, 국간장)
- 1 tbsp Salted shrimp (Saeu-jeot, 새우젓) or salt
Instructions
- Soak dried pollock (북어채) in a bowl with water and let it soak for a few minutes until slightly softened. Cut into bite-sized pieces if it’s not already cut properly. Reserve the soaking water—this adds a deep, savory flavor to the soup.
- Slice the radish into 1cm thick half-moon pieces for a tender yet firm texture.
- Cube the tofu into bite-sized pieces.
- Slice the green onion into 2-3 cm pieces.
- Heat a pot over medium heat and add 1 tbsp of perilla oil (or sesame oil). Add the sliced radish and soaked pollock and stir-fry for about 3 minutes until the radish becomes slightly translucent.
- Pour in the reserved soaking water (about 5 cups). For a richer broth, add 1 anchovy soup stock tablet (optional). Bring the soup to a boil over high heat.
- Once the soup is boiling, add the cubed tofu. Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 20 minutes until the flavors deepen.
- Taste the soup and season with Korean soup soy sauce (국간장) and salted shrimp (새우젓). Adjust the saltiness to your preference.
- Add the sliced green onion and let it boil for 1 more minute.
- Turn off the heat and serve the soup hot. Enjoy with a bowl of steamed rice and simple side dishes (banchan, 반찬).