Mugwort soup and mugwort rice cake (Ssukguk: 쑥국)

By Maangchi · 30 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Mugwort soup: Put 12-13 small clams in a bowl with 1 cup of water and 1 teaspoon salt, mix, and soak for 1 hour so they spit out sand.
2. Wash 3-4 cups of mugwort thoroughly, rinsing and draining in cold running water a couple of times, scrubbing by hand if needed to remove dirt between the leaves. Set aside in a bowl.
3. Make the anchovy stock: put 6 cups of water in a pot, add ½ cup chopped onion and 10 large dried anchovies with guts and heads removed, and boil over high heat for 20 minutes.
4. Gently mix the mugwort with ¼ cup soybean paste, 1 tablespoon flour, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 2 tablespoons perilla seed powder if using.
5. Strain the stock so it is clear and slightly brownish, return it to the pot and reheat.
6. Add the seasoned mugwort to the boiling stock.
7. Wash and drain the clams and add them to the soup.
8. Cook for 5-7 more minutes, then add chopped green or red chili pepper. Serve with rice and side dishes.
9. Mugwort rice cake: Clean 2 cups (70 g) of mugwort the same way, then lightly squeeze it and place it on a microwave-safe plate.
10. Add 1/3 cup sweet rice flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons water to the mugwort.
11. Mix with both hands until no sweet rice flour remains at the bottom of the plate.
12. Microwave for 3-4 minutes.
13. Turn it over with a spoon or spatula, and serve hot.

Summarized from Maangchi's video. Watch it for the details.