Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup is the comfort food I didn’t know I needed.
I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, Tartlets. And you know what? I liked it.
Why is Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup the book-inspired recipe for Crying in H Mart?
Okay, Tartlets. I’m-a be honest with you. Although everyone raves about the delicious-sounding food in Crying in H Mart, a lot of the Korean dishes that author Zauner talks about is stuff I can’t get behind. Here’s a little sample of what appear to be staples of Korean cuisine:
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- Cabbages. Tofu and mung beans.
- Pickled things, fermented things. Vinegar, vinegar everywhere.
- Roe (fish egg) and live octopus.
- PREGNANT CRABS. #nothankyou.
I’m not an adventurous eater, and a lot of the food that Zauner describes with such zeal makes me gag.
So, you can imagine how excited I was when Zauner mentioned Jjamppong, or Korean spicy seafood noodle soup, which seemed downright tame and boring compared to so many other dishes she raves about in the book.
I can get behind noodles. I can get behind (cooked) seafood. And that’s why today I’m talking about Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup.
Or, my version of it, anyway.
My Americanized version of Jjamppong, or Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup
Like with my enchiladas recipe, my Spicy Seafood noodle Soup isn’t anywhere near authentic. It’s merely (loosely) inspired by the traditional Jjamppong. I cobbled together my version of Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup after loking at Jjamppong recipes online.
One recipe I looked at is from Maangchi, a blogger Zauner credits with teaching her how to make Korean comfort foods.
I take a lot of the same elements of the authentic dish and adapt them for a non-Asian kitchen. Here are some of the main differences between my Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup and Jjamppong.
- my soup is made in a large Dutch oven (instead of a wok)
- the only protein in this dish is seafood (most Jjamppong also include sliced beef/chicken/pork)
- I used frozen fish stock I bought at the fishmonger (instead of making my own seafood stock at home)
- I used olive oil (instead of Korean chili oil) for sautéing the veggies
- The heat level of this soup is turned way down for the delicately taste-budded among us
How Spicy is Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup?
You guys, most traditional Jjamppong recipes call for Korean chili oil, plus for 3-5 tablespoons of Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru). My recipe below only uses one tablespoon. And, holy heck, that was more than enough for me.
I’m pretty much a wimp when it comes to spicy foods, and I thankfully decided to dial down the heat level of this soup at the last minute.
As I’ve written it, the spice level is a little more than mild. It sneaks up on you every now and then with a zing! in the back of your throat or a pleasant buzz on your lips, but it fades away again pretty quickly. Get your hit, shake your head, take a sip of water, and continue eating.
What I love about Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup
Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup is going to be on repeat at my house. Because I am in love with it.
The broth is so flavorful. It’s rich and umami-ish (is that a word?) and even almost buttery from the fish stock. I’m able to add as many of the veggies I want (mushrooms) and as few of the ones I’m not as fond of (carrots) without upsetting the balance of flavors.
The Udon noodles have a great chewy texture and are totally slurpable. (note: this is not a First Date Food!) And, there’s nothing wrong with a heaping pile of freshly cooked mussels, clams, and shrimp, amirite?
The best part about Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup is that it’s warm and comforting, but it feels SO healthy because of all the fresh veggies and seafood in it. (Because seafood has, like, no calories.) I could down bowlfuls of this and never feel guilty.
What do you serve with Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup?
Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup is a lunch that eats like a meal. You got it all in this dish – noodles, veg, and protein. Serve it as a main course after a clean, fresh appetizer like Mixed Berry Spinach Salad. I slurped my soup up with a spoon and a fork, but definitely use chopsticks if you’re more coordinated than I am.
Other great dishes for seafood lovers are Cioppino with Garlic Toast, Lobster Tortellini Pasta Salad, Chilled Seafood Salad, and Baked Sea Scallops.
Some more Asian-inspired meals on my blog are Ground Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry, Veggie Soba Noodle Bowls, and Shrimp Kale Turmeric Curry.
Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 10 oz uncooked Udon noodles
- 1 tbsp chili pepper flakes*
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 2 large carrots, sliced into thin 2-inch strips
- 3-4 baby boy choy, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 large zucchini, sliced into thin 2-inch strips
- 7 oz shiitake mushrooms (stems removed), sliced into thin strips
- 3 quarts fish stock (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 dozen raw mussels, cleaned
- 1 dozen raw littleneck clams, cleaned
- 12 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tsp fish sauce (optional)
- salt, to taste (optional)
Instructions
PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook Udon noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and shake to remove excess water. Drizzle and toss with toasted sesame oil to keep noodles from sticking together. Set cooked noodles aside.
- Place the raw mussels in a bowl of heavily salted cold water. Let mussels sit there and discard any sand. Right before cooking, drain and rinse mussels in cold water to remove discarded sand and excess salt.
- Place the raw clams in a bowl of heavily salted cold water. Let clams sit there and discard any sand. Right before cooking, drain and rinse clams in cold water to remove discarded sand and excess salt.
- Stir together the chili flakes and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Grate ginger and set aside.
- Slice onion, green onion, and carrots. Set aside.
- Slice mushrooms and zucchini. Set aside.
- Chop bok choy. Set aside.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven.
- Stir the sliced onions, green onions, and carrots into the oil. Sauté until veggies are softened, stirring regularly, about 10 minutes.
- Stir the mushrooms, zucchini, grated ginger, and soy sauce into the pot. Cook until mushrooms and zucchini have started to soften, stirring regularly, about 5 minutes.
- Make a well in the center of the veggies and scrape the pepper flake-oil mixture into the pot. Stir the mixture for about a minute to toast the pepper flakes, then stir into the veggies.
- Pour the fish broth and rice wine vinegar into the pot. Bring mixture to a boil.
- Add the clams, mussels, shrimp, and bok choy to the pot, stirring lightly so seafood is covered with broth.
- Cover the Dutch oven and reduce heat to medium-low. Let soup simmer 5-7 minutes, or until clams and mussels have popped open** and shrimp is cooked through.
- Taste the soup and add additional grated ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, or salt*** to your taste.
- To serve, scoop some cooked noodles into a large soup bowl and ladle over the broth, veggies, and seafood. Serve immediately.
