Spicy and Refreshing Snow Crab Stew (Kkotgetang) – Baek Jong Won Style
Spicy and Refreshing Snow Crab Stew (Kkotgetang) – Baek Jong Won Style
Super Simple Baek Jong Won Snow Crab Stew with Minimal Ingredients!
Easily make a delicious snow crab stew at home with just a few ingredients! This recipe offers a rich, savory broth with the fresh taste of seafood, perfect for a hearty meal.
Main Ingredients- Fresh snow crabs (as much as you like)
- Jumbo shrimp or regular shrimp (as much as you like)
- Fresh sea squirt (mireoddeok) (appropriate amount)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your fresh snow crabs, jumbo shrimp (or regular shrimp), and sea squirts (mireoddeok). Scrub the snow crabs and shrimp thoroughly with a brush under running water to remove any dirt or debris. Rinse the sea squirts gently. Properly cleaning the seafood is the foundation for a flavorful broth.
Step 2
Next, let’s prepare the vegetables. Separate the leaves and stems of the fragrant water dropwort (minari) and chop them into bite-sized pieces. The Cheongyang chili peppers are key for adding a spicy kick; remove the seeds and slice them thinly. Cut the onion into thick slices and the green onion diagonally. Chopping the vegetables this way will help them absorb the flavors well. Avoid cutting them too small so they maintain their shape when cooked.
Step 3
Now, it’s time to create the refreshing and savory broth. In a pot, add 4 paper cups (approximately 800ml) of water. Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, stir in 3 tablespoons of doenjang. For a deeper and cleaner flavor, it’s recommended to use a mixture: 2 tablespoons of stew-type doenjang and 1 tablespoon of regular doenjang. Once the doenjang is dissolved, add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and bring it to another boil. As the savory aroma of doenjang and garlic rises, add 3 tablespoons of gochugaru (Korean chili powder) and let it boil again to achieve the desired color for the broth.
Step 4
Once the broth is boiling well, add the prepared snow crabs and jumbo shrimp (or shrimp) to the pot. The seafood will start releasing its delicious juices as it cooks. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the seafood is fully cooked.
Step 5
When the crabs and shrimp have turned a reddish color and are mostly cooked, add the sea squirts (mireoddeok) and the sliced Cheongyang chili peppers. Adding sea squirts towards the end preserves their unique aroma and flavor, while the chili peppers enhance the broth’s spiciness. Let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
Step 6
After the seafood, sea squirts, and peppers have melded their flavors, add all the sliced onion, green onion, and water dropwort. Cook for a short while longer until the vegetables are just tender. Cooking them briefly will keep them slightly crisp and maintain their fresh taste.
Step 7
Finally, taste the broth and adjust the seasoning. For an extra spicy kick, add another 2 tablespoons of gochugaru. If the soup is too bland, add about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of salt until it reaches your desired taste. Bring the stew to a final rolling boil to ensure all the flavors are well combined. Your delicious Kkotgetang is now ready!
Step 8
Your steaming, delicious snow crab stew is complete! It boasts a refreshing and deep broth flavor thanks to the combination of various seafood and vegetables.
Step 9
Serve generously with a bowl of warm rice and enjoy this incredibly flavorful meal. It’s a true rice-thief!
