Entree: South Korea – Jeolla – 남원 추어탕 ➤ Namwon chueotang (Hearty Namwon-style spicy loach soup with vegetables and ground rice)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 35 min

Total 50 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (450 g) loach (mudfish), cleaned and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup (60 g) cooked short-grain rice, pureed
- 2 tbsp (30 g) doenjang Korean soybean paste
- 1 tbsp (18 g) gochujang Korean red pepper paste
- 2 tbsp (16 g) roasted perilla seed powder (deulkkae)
- 1 small Korean radish (mu), about 8 oz (225 g), thinly sliced
- 1 cup (150 g) napa cabbage, roughly chopped
- 1 cup (150 g) zucchini, sliced
- 1/2 medium onion (about 60 g), sliced
- 4 cloves garlic (approx. 12 g), minced
- 4 cups (960 ml) beef stock, anchovy stock, or water
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) rice wine (mirin or rice cooking wine)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 scallions (approx. 30 g), thinly sliced for garnish
- 1 tsp (5 g) coarse ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- Salt to taste

Instructions

1. If not already done, clean loach well and roughly chop into bite-sized pieces. In a blender or food processor, combine half the chopped loach with the pureed cooked rice and pulse to a coarse paste; set aside.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté until translucent and aromatic, about 2–3 minutes.
3. Add the remaining chopped loach pieces and stir-fry briefly until opaque, about 2 minutes. Pour in rice wine and allow alcohol to evaporate, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in doenjang and gochujang, cooking 1–2 minutes to dissolve pastes into the fish. Add the coarse loach-and-rice paste back into the pot and mix thoroughly.
5. Pour in stock or water and bring to a gentle boil, skimming any foam. Reduce heat and simmer 15–20 minutes until vegetables are tender and flavors have melded.
6. Add radish, napa cabbage, and zucchini in stages if needed so all vegetables finish tender but not mushy; simmer another 5–8 minutes.
7. Stir in roasted perilla seed powder (deulkkae) and sesame oil; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and additional black pepper.
8. Ladle into bowls and garnish generously with sliced scallions and extra freshly ground black pepper for the characteristic peppery finish. Serve immediately with steamed rice.