Fish Cake Soup with Pollack Broth
Fish Cake Soup with Pollack Broth
Deep and Refreshing Fish Cake Soup with Dried Pollack Broth
A recipe for a rich and refreshing fish cake soup. This soup features a deeply flavorful and cooling broth made from dried pollack, making it a perfect hangover cure. Easy to make with readily available fish cakes, this recipe is ideal for chilly evenings or when you want to impress guests.
Main Ingredients- Fish cakes (eomuk) 500g
- Radish 3cm piece
- Shiitake mushrooms 1-2
- Onion 1/2
- Scallions 1 stalk
- Dried pollack broth 1L
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Crown daisy (optional)
Dried Pollack Broth Ingredients- Dried pollack heads 1
- Dried shrimp 1/3 cup
- Onion peels (cleaned)
- Scallion roots (cleaned)
- Radish peels or scraps
- Shiitake mushroom stems
- Dried lotus root (optional)
- Dried kelp (5x5cm piece)
- Cooking sake 2 Tbsp
- Dried pollack heads 1
- Dried shrimp 1/3 cup
- Onion peels (cleaned)
- Scallion roots (cleaned)
- Radish peels or scraps
- Shiitake mushroom stems
- Dried lotus root (optional)
- Dried kelp (5x5cm piece)
- Cooking sake 2 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the deep and refreshing dried pollack broth. Lightly toast the dried pollack heads and dried shrimp in a dry pan to remove any fishy odor. Then, in a pot, combine the toasted pollack heads, dried shrimp, onion peels, scallion roots, radish, shiitake mushroom stems, dried lotus root, dried kelp, 2 Tbsp of cooking sake, and about 1.5L of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes to extract the deep flavors. For the kelp, add it during the last 5 minutes after turning off the heat to infuse its umami without bitterness. (Feel free to adjust the broth ingredients and simmering time according to your preference.)
Step 2
Slice the fish cakes into bite-sized pieces (cut rectangular cakes into 2-3 pieces, and long cakes in half). Briefly blanch the sliced fish cakes in boiling water. This step helps remove excess oil and additives, resulting in a cleaner and milder-tasting soup. Rinse the blanched fish cakes under cold water and drain well.
Step 3
Slice the radish into thin, half-moon shapes or 1.5cm thick pieces. Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and slice them. Thinly slice the scallions and the onion. Having all ingredients prepped will make the cooking process much smoother.
Step 4
Pour the prepared dried pollack broth into a pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once the broth is boiling, add the radish slices first and simmer for about 10 minutes until the radish is tender. After the radish has softened slightly, add the blanched fish cakes and sliced shiitake mushrooms and continue to cook. If the broth is too concentrated for your liking, you can add a little water.
Step 5
Once the fish cakes and mushrooms are cooked, add the sliced onions and let them simmer. When the onions become translucent, add the sliced scallions and boil for another moment. For a cleaner and more refreshing broth, it’s recommended to use whole garlic cloves or thinly sliced garlic rather than minced garlic.
Step 6
Season the soup with salt and pepper to your taste. For an enhanced umami flavor, you can also use a mix of soy sauce for soup (guk-ganjang) and salt. If desired, garnish with crown daisy at the end for a fragrant finish. Serve hot!
