Clear and Refreshing Bean Sprout Soup
Clear and Refreshing Bean Sprout Soup
How to Make a Deliciously Clear Bean Sprout Soup
This refreshing soup is perfect as a hangover cure! It’s one of the easiest soups to make, boasting a clean and invigorating flavor. Let’s get cooking!
Ingredients- 1 bag (approx. 300g) bean sprouts
- 2 liters (8 cups) water
- 7-8 dried anchovies (for broth)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soup soy sauce (Guk-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp salted shrimp (Saeu-jeot)
- 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt (or adjust to taste)
- 2 pinches MSG or sugar (optional, for enhanced umami)
- 1 stalk green onion, thinly sliced
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Pour 2 liters of water into a deep pot. Add the dried anchovies, with their innards removed if desired, for a deep savory broth, which is the key to delicious bean sprout soup! Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes to extract the anchovy broth. Remove the anchovies, leaving only the clear broth.
Step 2
Add the 1 bag of thoroughly washed bean sprouts to the clear anchovy broth. **Crucially, do not cover the pot!** To prevent a raw bean sprout smell, keep the lid off and cook over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until the bean sprouts are tender but still slightly crisp. Overcooking can make them mushy.
Step 3
Once the bean sprouts are cooked to your liking, it’s time to season. First, add 1 Tbsp of soup soy sauce for a foundational flavor. Then, add 1 Tbsp of minced garlic for a refreshing aroma. Stir in 1 Tbsp of salted shrimp for an extra layer of umami. Adjust the taste with 1/2 Tbsp of kosher salt. For an even richer flavor, you can optionally add 2 pinches of sugar or MSG.
Step 4
Finally, add the thinly sliced green onion (1 stalk) and let it simmer for another minute. The fresh aroma of the green onion will infuse the soup. Turn off the heat and serve your delicious bean sprout soup hot and refreshing!
