Chueo-tang

Chueo-tang or loach soup is a Korean tang that prominently features pond loach, a freshwater fish. The city of Namwon in southwestern South Korea is known for its version of the dish.

Etymology

Chueo is a nickname for pond loach, called mikkuraji in Korean. Tang means soup.

History and tradition

As irrigated rice paddies are drained after chubun, chubby pond loaches, ready for hibernation, are easily caught in the ditches dug around paddy fields. Chueo-tang is often a featured dish in banquets for the elderly.
In Hanyang during the Joseon era, the guild of licensed panhandlers mandated that its members beg only for bap, not banchan or guk. As an accompaniment to the rice, Panhandlers hunted pond loaches and made chueo-tang. They were also granted the exclusive rights to sell chueo-tang in the city.
The third-oldest operating restaurant in Seoul, Yonggeumok, specializes in the Seoul style of the dish. In the Seoul style, the fish are served whole, and the soup base uses chili pepper flakes instead of gochujang.

Preparation

Pond loaches are boiled in water until very tender, and sieved to remove bones and skins. The sieved flesh along with beef or chicken broth is then boiled again and seasoned with gochujang, doenjang, grated ginger, and ground black pepper. Vegetable ingredients include mung bean sprouts, Asian royal fern, scallions, napa cabbages, and mustard greens. The soup is often served with ground chopi peppercorns, along with Korean mint leaves or perilla powder.