Small Octopus Soup(Nakji Soup)
….I boiled a clear soup with tender gourd and octopus. Gourd gives a clean and refreshing taste, just like its pure white interior. As I picked up a piece of gourd at the market, memories of the fairy tale ‘Heungbu and Nolbu,’ which I read when I was young, suddenly came to mind.
It’s a story of two brothers, Heungbu and Nolbu. Heungbu, the kind younger brother, repaired a broken magpie leg and sowed the seeds given by a magpie. It turned into treasures inside the gourd, and he became wealthy. However, the greedy older brother, Nolbu, broke a perfectly fine magpie leg and sowed the seeds, only to have goblins appear from the gourd. Heungbu took care of his brother after that, and it’s a story that teaches brotherly love.
In the old days, gourds used to grow on the thatched roofs of our ancestors’ homes, and I couldn’t help but be amazed at their size. Gourds help cleanse the body, promoting the elimination of sodium and waste. Together with the taurine in octopus, it relieves fatigue and boosts vitality. Seasoned simply with salt, it’s also a great way to enjoy the natural flavors of the ingredients and stay healthy.
When you add octopus, be sure to boil it for just one minute and then serve it. Boiling it for too long can change the texture, and you won’t achieve the desired taste. With gourds in season, getting a piece of gourd to make octopus soup is a great idea, but remember to add the octopus just before eating it.
Servings: 4
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 400g of cleaned octopus, lightly dusted with flour.
- 400 g gourd, peeled, removed seeds, and sliced thinly
- 6 cups anchovy broth
- 1 fresh spicy pepper, sliced thinly
- 2–3 green onions, finely sliced on the diagonal (using only the white parts of the green onion)
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 tsp sea salt
Cooking Instruction:
- Remove the internal organs of the octopus head and clean it thoroughly by dusting it with flour. Strain the octopus using a strainer.
2. Heat a pot over medium-high heat and bring the anchovy broth to a boil.
3. After the anchovy broth has boiled, add the gourd, sea salt, green pepper, and green onion to the pot.
4. Remove any floating bubbles with a spoon.
5. Add the octopus to the pot. When the broth begins to boil, use tongs to briefly dip the small octopuses in the boiling broth about 3 times, then let them simmer in the broth for 1 minute. Do not overcook them until they turn red, as they will become tough.
6. Serve it.
You can also view this recipe on Instagram.
