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Soups & stews · Korean home cooking

Dried pollock and radish soup (bugeo-guk)

A mild soup made with dried pollock, radish, tofu and soft egg ribbons. Briefly wetting the fish and checking for bones make it easier for a first-time cook.

35 min2 servings6 stepsDifficulty: Easy
Dried pollock and radish soup (bugeo-guk)

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

2 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 2 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

  • Essential

    Use unsalted dried pollock strips intended for soup, not fresh cod, smoked fish or sweet dried fish snacks. Check carefully for bones.

  • Substitute available

    If Korean radish, thinly sliced is unavailable

    Use instead
    Daikon radish, thinly sliced
    Substitute quantity
    1 paper cupReference quantity: 120 g

    Cook for the same time until tender. The taste is slightly milder.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Add no replacement and keep the broth amount unchanged; the soup will be less substantial.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Skip the egg pouring step; the soup will have a clearer broth.

  • Substitute available

    If Toasted sesame oil is unavailable

    Use instead
    Neutral cooking oil
    Substitute quantity
    1 small teaspoonReference quantity: 5 ml

    Use the same heating method. The toasted sesame aroma will be absent.

  • Substitute available

    If Korean soup soy sauce is unavailable

    Use instead
    Regular soy sauce
    Substitute quantity
    2 small teaspoonsReference quantity: 10 ml

    Use less because regular soy sauce darkens the broth. At the final tasting, add a little of the listed salt only if needed.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Skip its preparation and addition; keep all other amounts unchanged. The flavour will be milder.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Skip its preparation and addition; keep all other amounts unchanged. The flavour will be milder.

  • Essential

    Keep the listed liquid so the broth does not become too concentrated. Extra water for washing or soaking is discarded.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Add gradually only after tasting, since soy sauce and packaged broth can already be salty.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

  1. Step 1

    Step 1: Check the dried pollock for bones and remove any you find. Briefly rinse in cold water, squeeze gently and cut into pieces about 4 cm long. Do not soak until the flavour washes away.

    Check the dried pollock for bones and remove any you find. Briefly rinse in cold water, squeeze gently and cut into pieces about 4 cm long. Do not soak until the flavour washes away.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2: Peel the radish and cut into thin bite-size slices. Cut tofu into small cubes, chop the spring onion and beat the egg in a separate cup. Keep these ready beside the stove.

    Peel the radish and cut into thin bite-size slices. Cut tofu into small cubes, chop the spring onion and beat the egg in a separate cup. Keep these ready beside the stove.

  3. Step 3

    Step 3: Warm sesame oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the damp pollock and radish; stir gently for 2 minutes, without browning or burning the fish.

    Warm sesame oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the damp pollock and radish; stir gently for 2 minutes, without browning or burning the fish.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4: Add 5 paper cups of water, the garlic and soup soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until the radish is tender and the fish softens.

    Add 5 paper cups of water, the garlic and soup soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until the radish is tender and the fish softens.

  5. Step 5

    Step 5: Add the tofu and simmer for 3 minutes. Pour the beaten egg in a thin stream over the bubbling soup. Wait 30 seconds before stirring gently, then cook until the egg is completely set.

    Add the tofu and simmer for 3 minutes. Pour the beaten egg in a thin stream over the bubbling soup. Wait 30 seconds before stirring gently, then cook until the egg is completely set.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6: Add the spring onion and simmer for 1 minute. Taste and add the listed salt gradually if needed. Ladle into two bowls, checking once more for any fish bones before serving.

    Add the spring onion and simmer for 1 minute. Taste and add the listed salt gradually if needed. Ladle into two bowls, checking once more for any fish bones before serving.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Dried pollock and radish soup (bugeo-guk)
Dried pollock and radish soup (bugeo-guk)
Helpful tips

Bugeo and hwangtae are forms of dried pollock. This soup contains fish; the optional egg, tofu and sesame oil add egg, soy and sesame allergens. Divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is hotter than 32°C. Keep at 4°C or below, use within 3–4 days and reheat leftovers to 74°C.

Enjoy every bite

How to enjoy it

Serve the soup hot and add salt only after tasting. Keep the cooked rice separate until serving.

Serve it with