Korea: 추어탕 Chuoetang (aka Pond Loach soup)

Ever so often, I'll find myself in the awkward position of having restaurant staff asking me to reconsider my order, eyeing me warily to gauge if my spoken pronouncement were a bad joke of some kind. Sometimes this scenario plays out with the chef himself blustering out from behind the doors leading to the kitchen, encouraging (neigh, pleading) with me to reconsider the heat level I ordered and opt for something less radioactive. Then there are those times when I specifically seek out a dish that is, perhaps, a little less popular or well-received by those who've never sampled it before...Chuoetang is one of the dishes that falls into the latter category, a soup that's renowned for its beauty and healthy benefits but not much else. I was able to source the dish in Insadong, near Anguk station, which makes sense. Many of the restaurants that proliferate through the winding, cobble-stone streets and alleys of the area cater to traditional Korean cuisine in all its forms, from the elaborate spreads of Royal court cuisine all the way to humble street foods and mudfish (aka pond loach) soup. 

If the name mudfish doesn't immediately dredge up sensory conceptualizations of the taste, rest assured that the fish's flavor doesn't veer far from the name. Not only does the fish have a distinctly earthen flavor, but it's also not exactly the easiest or prettiest thing to eat. Inventive Koreans of yonder year solved this dilemma by opting to grind up the poor little butterfaces, which lends the soup a distinctive texture. This also takes care of most, though not all, of those microscopic little fish bones that can make eating fish meat such a chore. And guess what? Because you're devouring the fishes in all their entirety, you're getting a super-boost of different minerals, vitamins and other beauty-boosting goodness that you might otherwise miss out on. Like I said before, this soup is considered a super-food for your health and well-being, and all the collagen is especially good for your skin. There's something of an obsession abounding around functional foods in Japan and Korea, and if the condition of the typical woman's skin in those countries is any indicator they've figured something out, alright. The soup was alright, too- nothing to get terribly excited about flavorwise, perhaps, but totally edible and absolutely delectable if it means waking up to softer, healthier skin! 

Thanks for stopping by!

맛있었습니다~!

💘

XOXO,

NAU