Korean Fish Cake Soup (Odeng Guk)
A cozy Korean fish cake soup (Odeng Guk) simmered in a clear, savory broth with radish and anchovy stock. Light, comforting, and full of authentic street-style flavor.
Equipment
- 4-quart soup pot
Ingredients
- 10 oz (300 g) flat fish cakes skewered, see note below
- 10 oz (300 g) round fish cakes skewered
- 7 oz (200 g) rice cake logs optional
- 2 green onion chopped
- 1 fresh chili finely sliced
For soup broth
- 7 cups (1.6 liter) water
- 1 packet anchovy-kelp dashi packet see note below
- 7 oz (200 g) Korean radish sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Korean soup soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp (7.5 ml) Korean tuna sauce or tsuyu
- 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
For dipping sauce
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) water
- 1/2 tbsp (3.5 g) Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp chopped green onion
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chili optional
Instructions
- To prepare rice cakes (optional): In a pot, boil water over medium heat. Add rice cake logs, cooking for 1-2 minutes until they are soft and tender. Drain and rinse the rice cakes with cold water to cool them slightly. Once warm to the touch, thread them onto long skewers. Soak them in water and set aside.
- To make the soup broth: In a 4-quart soup pot, combine 7 cups of water, anchovy stock dashi packet, sliced Korean radish, and Asian leek. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the stock packet and leek, keeping the radish in the stock.
- Season the boiled stock with Korean soup soy sauce, tuna sauce (or tsuyu), salt, garlic, and pepper to taste.
- To make fish cake soup: Add fish cake skewers and rice cake skewers to the pot. It's fine if the skewers aren't fully submerged. Occasionally ladle the hot broth over any exposed parts of the fish cakes as they simmer.
- Once the fish cakes puff up slightly, the soup is ready to serve. Garnish with green onion and fresh chili to add a hint of spicy kick. Enjoy hot with the prepared dipping sauce.
- To make the dipping sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and set aside for serving.
Notes
Skewers: Using skewers is optional when making eomuk guk with cut fish cakes. Skewers offer a convenient way to eat the fish cakes without utensils. If opting for skewers, ensure they are sturdy enough to support the fish cakes. You can use skewers specifically designed for this, or alternatively, repurpose wooden chopsticks.
Soup stock dashi bag: If you an't find them, you can easily make anchovy stock from scratch. See my how to make anchovy stock.