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Side dishes · Korean home cooking

Saeujang — soy-marinated raw shrimp

Traditional raw shrimp in a cold aromatic soy marinade, including 12 hours in the refrigerator. The shrimp remains raw; handling advice and a fully cooked alternative are included.

780 min3 servings6 steps
Saeujang — soy-marinated raw shrimp

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

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

3 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 3 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

    Ask a regulated supplier specifically about raw consumption and cold-chain history. Ordinary cooking shrimp are not an automatic raw substitute. Raw use still carries risk; choose the cooked alternative if uncertain.

  • Substitute available

    If Soy sauce is unavailable

    Use instead
    Tamari
    Substitute quantity
    6 level eating spoonsReference quantity: 90 ml

    Use the same spoon quantity of regular-strength tamari. Saltiness varies, so taste before adding any extra seasoning. Check the label if avoiding wheat.

  • Essential

    Keep this ingredient: it provides the main structure or seasoning of this dish.

  • Essential

    Keep this ingredient: it provides the main structure or seasoning of this dish.

  • Essential

    Keep this ingredient: it provides the main structure or seasoning of this dish.

  • Essential

    Keep this ingredient: it provides the main structure or seasoning of this dish.

  • Essential

    Keep this ingredient: it provides the main structure or seasoning of this dish.

  • Optional

    Omit the kelp and its removal step from the marinade if unavailable.

  • Optional

    Omit the red chili from the final cold marinade for a mild version.

  • Optional

    Omit the spring onion garnish if unavailable.

  • Optional

    Omit the sesame seeds at the final garnish if unavailable or avoiding sesame. No other quantity changes are needed.

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 raw-seafood plan first. This recipe does not cook the shrimp. Soy sauce, sugar and freezing do not reliably kill harmful germs. People at increased risk should choose the cooked alternative in the notes. Use only shrimp whose regulated supplier can confirm intended raw consumption and cold handling; otherwise cook them. Keep them at 4°C or colder while preparing the marinade.

    Check the raw-seafood plan first. This recipe does not cook the shrimp. Soy sauce, sugar and freezing do not reliably kill harmful germs. People at increased risk should choose the cooked alternative in the notes. Use only shrimp whose regulated supplier can confirm intended raw consumption and cold handling; otherwise cook them. Keep them at 4°C or colder while preparing the marinade.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2: Simmer the soy marinade. Put 6 level eating spoons soy sauce, 1½ small paper cups water and 1½ level eating spoons sugar in a saucepan. Add sliced ½ onion, 3 lightly crushed garlic cloves, 2 thin ginger slices and optional kelp. Bring to a boil, remove the kelp after 5 minutes, then simmer gently for 5 more minutes.

    Simmer the soy marinade. Put 6 level eating spoons soy sauce, 1½ small paper cups water and 1½ level eating spoons sugar in a saucepan. Add sliced ½ onion, 3 lightly crushed garlic cloves, 2 thin ginger slices and optional kelp. Bring to a boil, remove the kelp after 5 minutes, then simmer gently for 5 more minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Step 3: Chill the marinade completely. Strain into a clean heat-safe shallow bowl and cool over an ice-water bath, stirring with a clean spoon. Refrigerate until 4°C or colder, allowing about 30 minutes with an ice bath or longer if necessary. Do not use warm marinade on raw shrimp.

    Chill the marinade completely. Strain into a clean heat-safe shallow bowl and cool over an ice-water bath, stirring with a clean spoon. Refrigerate until 4°C or colder, allowing about 30 minutes with an ice bath or longer if necessary. Do not use warm marinade on raw shrimp.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4: Clean the cold shrimp. With dedicated clean tools, remove the heads and shells from 12 medium shrimp; tails may be removed too for easier eating. Make a shallow cut along the back and pull out the dark intestinal vein. Briefly rinse if needed and blot dry. This removes debris, not pathogens. Keep the shrimp cold and wash hands, sink, board and knife afterward.

    Clean the cold shrimp. With dedicated clean tools, remove the heads and shells from 12 medium shrimp; tails may be removed too for easier eating. Make a shallow cut along the back and pull out the dark intestinal vein. Briefly rinse if needed and blot dry. This removes debris, not pathogens. Keep the shrimp cold and wash hands, sink, board and knife afterward.

  5. Step 5

    Step 5: Marinate in the refrigerator. Arrange the peeled shrimp in a small clean lidded container and pour over the fully cold marinade. Add optional sliced red chili. Keep the shrimp covered by the marinade, cover the container and refrigerate at 4°C or colder for 12 hours. The flesh remains raw even if its color or firmness changes.

    Marinate in the refrigerator. Arrange the peeled shrimp in a small clean lidded container and pour over the fully cold marinade. Add optional sliced red chili. Keep the shrimp covered by the marinade, cover the container and refrigerate at 4°C or colder for 12 hours. The flesh remains raw even if its color or firmness changes.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6: Serve cold and promptly. Lift a small portion onto a clean dish and spoon over a little marinade. Add optional spring onion and sesame. Keep the rest in the refrigerator. For this home recipe, consume within 24 hours of combining shrimp and marinade, or any shorter supplier limit. Discard all used marinade and do not use it on another batch.

    Serve cold and promptly. Lift a small portion onto a clean dish and spoon over a little marinade. Add optional spring onion and sesame. Keep the rest in the refrigerator. For this home recipe, consume within 24 hours of combining shrimp and marinade, or any shorter supplier limit. Discard all used marinade and do not use it on another batch.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Saeujang — soy-marinated raw shrimp
Saeujang — soy-marinated raw shrimp
Helpful tips

A level eating spoon here is about 15 ml, a small teaspoon about 5 ml, and a small paper cup about 180 ml. Use the same spoon and cup throughout; household sizes and ingredient weights vary. This traditional version contains raw seafood. Soy sauce, chili, vinegar, alcohol and home freezing do not reliably destroy harmful germs; marinating is not cooking. Even seafood sold for raw consumption can cause illness. Children, pregnant people, older adults and anyone with liver disease or weakened immunity should avoid the raw version and choose the fully cooked alternative. Buy from a regulated supplier who can confirm the seafood is intended for raw consumption and has remained cold; this reduces some risks but does not make it risk-free. Follow local recalls and any shorter supplier use-by limit. Keep at 4°C or colder, thaw only in the refrigerator, and use separate clean utensils. Cover cuts on your hands. Discard seafood with an uncertain cold chain; smell and appearance cannot prove safety. Fully cooked alternative: use the same quantity of peeled shrimp, poach in gently simmering water until the thickest part reaches at least 63°C and the flesh is firm, pearly and opaque throughout, commonly about 2–4 minutes depending on size. Cool promptly in a clean shallow container and chill. Combine with separately prepared chilled marinade for 1 hour in the refrigerator and eat the same day. Cooked shrimp are pink and firm; this is a cooked variation, not raw saeujang. The short raw storage rule is not a guarantee of safety.

Enjoy every bite

How to enjoy it

Keep the marinade in its serving dish and add only a little to each rice bite. A mild cooked egg side gives a softer contrast to the soy seasoning.

Serve it with