Korean Mussel Soup. Who doesn’t like mussels? It’s light on the stomach and fun to pick at. Perfect for your next Netflix binge. Today, I will show you how to prep mussels the Korean way.
Korean Mussel Soup is a very popular type of anju (bar foods) in Seoul. When drinking soju, taking a sip of the mussel soup works well as a chaser. It’s often the first thing that many people order, alongside a few other anju banchans.
One of my favorite dining bars in Seoul also provide a few packets of Spicy Shin Ramen. They use the leftover broth from the mussel soup, throw in the noodles, and instantly make a bowl of spicy seafood ramen. It’s my favorite part! The mussel broth adds a nice layer of umami to the ramen. A few slurps of this spicy ramen and the whole table regains enough energy… for another round of soju 🙂
건배 ya’ll!
Korean Mussel Soup - Killer Broth!
Yield 2-3 people
Today, we boil fresh mussels and use its natural flavors to make a light and refreshing broth. Perfect for a light meal. Right before a Netflix binge session!
Ingredients
- Fresh Mussels - 1 kg (Ok to use less, 500-600 grams)
- Onion - 1/2 a whole
- Spring onion - 1 stalk (forearm piece)
- Korean chili pepper - 1 whole (if using Jalapeno, use 1/2 a whole)
- Water - reference notes
- Salt - 1/2 Tablespoon
- Minced garlic - 1 teaspoon
Instructions
Mussel Prep
- Give your mussels a thorough wash under cold water. Then take a quick inspection: Fresh mussels should be tightly closed OR they should close when you tap them. Throw out the shells that are wide-open or unresponsive.
- Then pull the "beards" off each mussel. (Some may not have one.) If you see barnacles or other debris on the shell, use another shell to scrape it off.
- Give the shells a final rinse under cold water.
Make Pot
- Use a large frying pan with high walls or a wide pot. Place cleaned mussels in. Then pour enough water to almost submerge the mussels (reference video).
- Cut the 1/2 onion in half again. Then chop the spring onion stalk in half. Use a knife to split the chili pepper. Place all of them into the pot.
- Put the pot on high heat and bring it up to a boil.
- Once pot begins to boil, reduce the heat to a medium-high. Add in minced garlic and salt. (Note: You will see alot of foam on the surface. No need to skim that off - it will disappear by itself soon)
- Once most of the foam disappears, the soup and mussels should be ready to eat. Turn off heat.
- Garnish pot with a few slices of spring onion and chili peppers. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you want to make ramen, save some of the broth: ~2 cups of broth for every package of ramen.
- For Korean ramen, I would recommend Nongshim Shin Ramen or Neoguri Ramen
- Reference the video below for more details
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