Mulmegi-tang (Snailfish Soup)

About the dish

The snailfish was once scorned for its soft, jelly-like flesh, but simmered clear with radish and well-soured kimchi it turns refreshing and tender. It became the beloved winter hangover soup of Busan and south-coast fishermen, a local dish that thawed frozen bodies through the cold months.

Key ingredient

Snailfish (mulmegi, also called gomchi) — a lean white-fleshed fish with soft, delicate meat that makes a wonderfully refreshing broth. Best December-February, mainly from the south coast around Busan & Tongyeong.

Ingredients

Main: snailfish, radish, sour kimchi, minari, scallion · Seasoning: minced garlic, soup soy sauce, gochugaru, salt

Simple recipe

1. Clean the snailfish and cut into serving pieces.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil with the radish, cut into thin squares.
3. Add the snailfish and sour kimchi and simmer.
4. Season with minced garlic and soup soy sauce.
5. Add minari and scallion and serve the broth hot and refreshing.

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A Glass · Traditional pairing