Saeu-guk

A light, sweetly flavoured soup built from whole shrimp or dried shrimp in a clear, delicate broth.

Saeu-guk occupies a charming position in Korean soup culture — a delicate, slightly sweet preparation that showcases the clean flavour of shrimp without heavy seasoning or competing spice. Whole small shrimp or medium-sized shrimp are simmered in a light anchovy-kelp stock, their shells contributing colour and a concentrated crustacean flavour to the broth even as the flesh cooks to a tender, pink sweetness. Dried shrimp (maeureunsaeu) are sometimes used instead, providing an even more concentrated flavour and a different texture, and the resulting broth is slightly saltier and more complex. Spring onion, sometimes a light dusting of white pepper, and the faintest touch of sesame oil are the only additional flavourings, keeping the soup honest to its single starring ingredient. Saeu-guk is particularly popular in coastal communities along Korea's southern coast, where fresh shrimp of various sizes arrive daily at market, and in inland communities as a way of using small dried shrimp — a pantry staple in virtually every Korean kitchen. It is a soup that is easy to dismiss as simple but reveals considerable skill in the quality of the broth and the timing of the shrimp, which overcook quickly.