Light and delicate or rich and hearty

Korean soups are delicate broths, traditionally based on doenjang soybean paste and similar to the miso soup eaten by the Japanese. These light, clear soups often have their essence in the subtle flavours of seaweed or the more distinctively pungent white radish, and soups are generally simmered slowly. This slow cooking process allows the various different flavours of the dish to mingle and intensify, creating a product that is distinctively Korean in aroma and taste. Soups filled with staple Korean ingredients such as beansprouts and dumplings are always on the menu, but other more tempting combinations of seafood and vegetables are also popular, with deliciously chewy octopus and peppery watercress creating an exotic soup that is quintessentially Korean.