A Guide to Essential Korean Soup Ingredients

Artificial Seasoning

There are three main types of MSG that are used to season soups.

Miwon (미원)

Miwon is plain MSG and is the most popular MSG that Korean people use in cooking. This is just MSG alone; it does not add a salt flavor it just enhances the flavor.

Anchovy Broth Powder (멸치 다시다)

This is an anchovy-based msg powder mix. It has msg and some seasoning. It should be used when making soups that contain fish or seafood.

Beef Broth Powder (쇠고기 다시다)

This is a beef-based msg powder mix. This also has msg and some seasoning. It can be added to soups that contain proteins like beef or pork.

When you use any of these kinds of MSG, whether it be Miwon (미원), Anchovy Broth Powder (멸치 다시다), or Beef broth powder (쇠고기 다시다), only use a little bit. Adding too much MSG to your soup will result in an odd artificial umami flavor.  Only add less than 1/8 tsp at a time and make sure to taste your soup before adding more.

The point of MSG is not to season your food, it is meant to enhance the flavor. If your soup tastes bland after using MSG try adding more salt before adding more MSG.

Natural Instant Korean Broth

For those who do not want to use msg but need a quick broth, let me introduce “Real Anchovy Powder” (멸치가루).

How to make Real Anchovy Powder (멸치가루):

1. Remove the head (optional) and guts from medium/large dried anchovy and toast on low heat with no oil.
2. Once toasted remove them from the pan and blend them in the blender until they are a fine powder.
3. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

It is very easy to use this anchovy powder to make instant broth. Some people add it directly to their soup. This is not my favorite method because when you do this, you must be careful because the broth can taste less clean and fresh if you add too much.

My preferred method is to add a couple of spoons full of this powder to some water and then simmer it for 5-10 minutes. Then you strain the liquid from the powder and use the now seasoned liquid as a broth.

Best Cuts of Protein for Soups

Soup is the perfect time to utilize tough inexpensive cuts of meat.

Beef Cuts:

• Eye of Round (홍두깨살/hong-duk-kae-sal)
• Brisket (양지머리/yang-ji-mo-ri)
• Thin Sliced Fatty Brisket Point (차돌박이/cha-dol-ba-gi)
• Short Plate or Beef Plate (업진살/op-jjin-sal)
• Inside Skirt (업진안살/op-jjin-an-sal)
• Thin Flank (치마양지/chi-ma-yang-ji)
• Flank Steak (앞치마살/ap-chi-ma-sal)
• Chuck Tender (cut name) or Mock Tender (market name) (꾸리살/kku-ri-sal)
• Front Leg Meat (앞다릿살/ap-tta-rit-ssal)
• Finger or Rib Finger Meat (갈비덧살/gal-bi-deot-sal)
• Bu-chae-dop-kkae-sal (부채덮개살)
• Outside/Bottom Round (설깃살/sol-git-ssal)
• Front Upper Section of Outside Round (설깃머리살/sol-gin-mo-ri-sal)
• Kneecap/Knuckle (도가니살/do-ga-ni-sal)
• Fore Shank/ Front Shank (앞사태 / ap-ssa-tae)
• Hind Shank/Rear Shank (뒷사태 / dwit-ssa-tae)
• Heel Muscle/Knuckle Shank (뭉치사태 / mung-chi-sa-tae)
• Center Heel Shank (아롱사태/a-rong-sa-tae)
• Sang-bak-ssal (상박살)
• Neck/Chuck (목심살 /mok-ssim-sal)
• Chuck Eye Roll or Chuck Roll (알목심)
• Whole Ribs (본갈비/bon-gal-bi)
• Chamgalbi (참갈비)
• Rib End (마구리/ma-gu-ri)
• Upper Loin (윗등심/witt-teung-sim): This is used for 샤브샤브 (Thin Sliced Hot Pot)
• Flower Loin (꽃등심/kkott-teung-sim): This is used for 샤브샤브 (Thin Sliced Hot Pot)
• Lower/Bottom Loin (아랫등심/a-raett-teung-sim): This is used for 샤브샤브 (Thin Sliced Hot Pot)

Pork Cuts:

• Pig Head (돼지머리)
• Pork belly with Cartilage (오돌삼겹살/o-dols-am-gyop-ssal)
• Bottom Pork Belly (미추리/mi-chu-ri)
• Pork Shoulder (돼지 앞다릿살/ dwae-ji ap-tta-rit-ssal)
• Pork Fore Shank (돼지 앞사태살/dwae-ji ap-ssa-tae-sal)
• Pork Collar/Neck (돼지 목심살/ dwae-ji mok-ssim-ssal)
• Pork Lower Leg/Ham (돼지 볼기살/ dwae-ji ap-tta-rit-ssal)
• Pork Outside Round (돼지 설깃살/dwae-ji sol-git-ssal)
• Pork Knuckle/Cushion(돼지 도가닛살/dwae-ji do-ga-nit-ssal)
• Pork Hind Shank (돼지 뒷사태살/dwae-ji dwit-ssa-tae-sal)
• Pork Rib Trimmings/Pork Rib Tips (돼지갈비 마구리/ dwae-ji-gal-bi ma-gu-ri)

Poultry:

• Whole Chicken (통닭 / tong-dak)
• Duck Tenderloin (오리 안심 / o-ri-an-sim)
• Whole duck (통오리 / tong-o-ri)

Seafood:

A variety of both fresh and dried Korean seafood and fish are used in soups. It can vary based on region and accessibility. The fish used vary based on season, region, and accessibility. This is not a concrete rule, but white fish are often used for Korean soup.

When fish is used for soups, the whole fish is utilized, and that can include the fish offal. When fish eggs are used for soups, only the fresh versions are used, not the salted versions. The salted version is enjoyed more like a side dish.

• Fish Eggs / Roe (생선알, 곤이)
• Fish Liver (생선 간)
• Fish Milt / Sperm Sac (이리)
• Fish Ovary / Egg Sac (곤이)

These fish offal are simmered for a shorter amount of time, towards the end of the cooking process when the other fish are done so that the offal does not get too hard.