Baek Jong-won’s Beef Bone Broth Dried Pollock Soup
Baek Jong-won’s Beef Bone Broth Dried Pollock Soup
Home Cook Baek’s Master Baek Jong-won’s Dried Pollock Soup: Enhanced Flavor with Beef Bone Broth
This Dried Pollock Soup recipe from Master Baek Jong-won is simple to make with minimal ingredients, yet offers a sophisticated taste. The soup, when made with beef bone broth instead of anchovy broth, has a richer, more satisfying flavor that I personally prefer and would love to share. It’s perfect for a comforting meal or even as a hangover cure. Feel free to adjust ingredients based on what you have in your refrigerator or your personal taste.
Main Ingredients- 150g dried pollock (pulled into bite-sized pieces)
- 2 eggs
- Beef bone broth (or rice water/water) – as needed
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce for soup
- 1 tsp salted shrimp (or fish sauce/salt) – to taste
- 1 green chili pepper
- 1 red chili pepper
- 1/3 stalk green onion
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- Water – a small amount (for soaking pollock)
- 1/3 block firm tofu (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
You can substitute the beef bone broth with rice water or plain water for a delicious result. If you don’t have salted shrimp, fish sauce or salt can be used for seasoning. Feel free to use ingredients based on what you have available in your fridge. The quantities listed are also suggestions; adjust them to your preference.
Step 2
First, tear the dried pollock into bite-sized pieces, roughly 3-4 cm long. Place the torn pollock in a bowl and set aside for soaking.
Step 3
Pour enough water over the pollock to soak it for about 5 minutes until it softens. Gently squeeze out the excess water with your hands. This step helps prevent the pollock from burning when sautéed and adds a tender texture to the soup. Don’t discard the water the pollock was soaked in; keep it aside as it can be used to enrich the broth.
Step 4
Prepare the vegetables and optional ingredients. Slice the green onion diagonally. Remove the seeds from the green and red chili peppers and slice them into rounds. Dice the tofu. The tofu is an optional addition, so you can omit it if you prefer.
Step 5
Now, let’s sauté the ingredients. Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a large pot or pan over medium-high heat. Add the squeezed pollock and stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Sautéing until it releases a nutty aroma is key.
Step 6
Once the pollock is fragrant, pour in the reserved soaking water first, followed by a generous amount of beef bone broth (or rice water/plain water). The amount of broth will determine the soup’s consistency, so adjust it to your liking.
Step 7
Once the soup begins to boil, add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and stir well to combine.
Step 8
Next, add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce for soup to give the broth a foundational flavor. It’s best to season the soup further with salted shrimp to achieve the perfect taste. Add salted shrimp gradually, tasting as you go, until it reaches your desired level of saltiness. If salted shrimp is unavailable, you can use fish sauce or salt.
Step 9
In a separate bowl, whisk the 2 eggs. When the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to low. Slowly drizzle the whisked egg into the soup, moving your hand in a circular motion. Avoid stirring immediately after adding the egg; let it set and cook into delicate ribbons. Stirring too early can make the broth cloudy. Once the egg is mostly set, you can gently break it up.
Step 10
Finally, add the prepared green onion, green and red chili peppers, and tofu (if using) to the soup. Let it simmer for another minute or two until the vegetables are tender and the flavors meld together. Turn off the heat. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, as they can become mushy.
Step 11
Ladle the hot soup into a bowl, and your delicious Home Cook Baek Jong-won’s Dried Pollock Soup, enriched with beef bone broth, is ready! Enjoy it with a bowl of rice or as a hearty side dish.
