Aromatic Oyster and Seaweed Soup & A Heartwarming Birthday Feast
Aromatic Oyster and Seaweed Soup & A Heartwarming Birthday Feast
A Birthday Spread Without the Guest of Honor
On November 14th, for my son’s birthday celebrated from afar while he lives and works in another city, I’ve prepared a special meal. Echoing my mother-in-law’s enduring prayers, my husband and I have lovingly put together this spread. Celebrate your son’s special day with these diverse and comforting dishes.
Spinach Salad Ingredients- 1 bunch spinach (make a cross cut at the base of the roots)
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
Bean Sprout Salad Ingredients- 1 bag bean sprouts
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Seaweed Salad Ingredients- 150g rehydrated seaweed (e.g., ‘mol’)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
Kim Ha Jin’s Oyster and Seaweed Soup Ingredients- 400g fresh oysters
- 1/2 cup dried seaweed (rehydrated)
- 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 4 cups anchovy broth
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- Pinch of black pepper
Kim Ha Jin’s Spicy Oyster Pancakes Ingredients- 200g fresh oysters
- 2 Tbsp pancake mix (buchim garu)
- 1 egg
- Cooking oil
- Pinch of salt
Baked Croaker Ingredients- 1 croaker fish (cleaned)
- A little cooking oil
Sticky Rice Ingredients- Rice (1:1 ratio with glutinous rice)
- Glutinous rice
- Millet
- Mixed grains (optional)
- 1 bag bean sprouts
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Seaweed Salad Ingredients- 150g rehydrated seaweed (e.g., ‘mol’)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
Kim Ha Jin’s Oyster and Seaweed Soup Ingredients- 400g fresh oysters
- 1/2 cup dried seaweed (rehydrated)
- 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 4 cups anchovy broth
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- Pinch of black pepper
Kim Ha Jin’s Spicy Oyster Pancakes Ingredients- 200g fresh oysters
- 2 Tbsp pancake mix (buchim garu)
- 1 egg
- Cooking oil
- Pinch of salt
Baked Croaker Ingredients- 1 croaker fish (cleaned)
- A little cooking oil
Sticky Rice Ingredients- Rice (1:1 ratio with glutinous rice)
- Glutinous rice
- Millet
- Mixed grains (optional)
- 400g fresh oysters
- 1/2 cup dried seaweed (rehydrated)
- 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 4 cups anchovy broth
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- Pinch of black pepper
Kim Ha Jin’s Spicy Oyster Pancakes Ingredients- 200g fresh oysters
- 2 Tbsp pancake mix (buchim garu)
- 1 egg
- Cooking oil
- Pinch of salt
Baked Croaker Ingredients- 1 croaker fish (cleaned)
- A little cooking oil
Sticky Rice Ingredients- Rice (1:1 ratio with glutinous rice)
- Glutinous rice
- Millet
- Mixed grains (optional)
- 1 croaker fish (cleaned)
- A little cooking oil
Sticky Rice Ingredients- Rice (1:1 ratio with glutinous rice)
- Glutinous rice
- Millet
- Mixed grains (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Making Fresh Spinach Salad: For the spinach, don’t cut off the roots completely; instead, make a cross-shaped cut at the base. This helps the seasoning penetrate better. Blanch the spinach in boiling water until just tender – be careful not to overcook it.
Step 2
Gently squeeze out excess water from the blanched spinach. Then, mix it with soy sauce, minced garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Gently toss until well combined for a delicious spinach salad.
Step 3
2. Making Crisp Bean Sprout Salad: Wash the bean sprouts thoroughly. Boil them in water until they are crisp-tender. After boiling, rinse them under cold water to cool them down and maintain their crunch.
Step 4
Drain the cooled bean sprouts. Add soy sauce, minced garlic, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds. Gently toss to coat evenly for a crunchy bean sprout salad.
Step 5
3. Making Chewy Seaweed Salad: Briefly blanch the seaweed (‘mol’) in boiling water, then rinse it in cold water. This process helps remove any slight bitterness and improves its texture.
Step 6
Squeeze out excess water from the blanched seaweed. Mix with soy sauce, minced garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Gently toss until well combined for a flavorful seaweed salad.
Step 7
4. Preparing Fresh Oysters: Add a little salt to the oysters and gently rub them with your hands. This helps remove any shell fragments or impurities. Be gentle to preserve their delicate ocean flavor.
Step 8
Rinse the cleaned oysters under running water 2-3 times and drain well. Fresh oysters usually don’t require extensive purging.
Step 9
5. Cooking Rich Oyster and Seaweed Soup: Make a rich broth by simmering anchovies and dried kelp. Rehydrate the dried seaweed and cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces. Have your prepared oysters ready.
Step 10
Once the broth is boiling, add the rehydrated seaweed and tofu. Season with soy sauce. Then, add the prepared oysters and let it simmer briefly.
Step 11
Finish the soup by adding minced garlic, vinegar, and a pinch of black pepper. Tip: Adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar helps eliminate any fishy odor from the oysters and brightens the soup’s flavor. Enjoy your delicious oyster and seaweed soup!
Step 12
6. Making Spicy Oyster Pancakes: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of soju (rice wine) over the prepared oysters and gently mix. Then, drain them well using a sieve. The soju helps to remove any lingering fishiness.
Step 13
Pat the oysters dry with paper towels. This step is crucial for ensuring the pancakes become crispy when fried.
Step 14
Coat the dried oysters with pancake mix and then dip them in beaten egg. Spoon portions onto a heated frying pan. Top with sliced chili peppers, then flip and cook until golden brown and cooked through for delicious spicy oyster pancakes.
Step 15
7. Baking Croaker: Lightly oil a heated frying pan and pan-fry the cleaned croaker on both sides until golden brown and cooked through. This method highlights the fish’s natural, mild flavor.
Step 16
8. Cooking Fluffy Sticky Rice: Mix rice, glutinous rice, millet, and any other mixed grains in your desired ratio. Soak the mixture overnight, then cook it as you normally would for a wonderfully chewy and aromatic sticky rice.
