Name: Hwangtae Yuksu (Dried Pollock Stock)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: About 8 cups
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 50g hwangtae (dried pollock strips or shredded dried pollock); 10 cups cold water; 1 piece dried kelp (dasima), about 4 inches square; 200g Korean radish (mu), cut into 1/2-inch thick slabs; 1/2 medium onion, peeled; 2 scallions, trimmed and cut in half; 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, optional, for a rounder soup-style stock; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, optional, only if serving as sipping broth

Question 1

Do I need to rinse hwangtae before making dried pollock stock?

Accepted Answer

Do not rinse hwangtae unless the dried pollock strips are sandy. Pick through the dried pollock and shake off fine dust instead. Rinsing washes away the clean dried-fish flavor that gives hwangtae yuksu its pale, savory base.

Question 2

When should I remove the kelp from hwangtae yuksu?

Accepted Answer

Remove the dried kelp as soon as small bubbles gather around it, after about 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat. Leaving dasima in too long makes Korean dried pollock stock slick and faintly bitter, even after careful straining.

Question 3

How long should dried pollock stock simmer?

Accepted Answer

Simmer hwangtae yuksu gently for 30 minutes after removing the kelp, then rest the pot off heat for 10 minutes before straining. Keep the stock at a quiet murmur, because a hard boil makes dried pollock broth blunt and fishy.

Question 4

Should I salt hwangtae yuksu before storing it?

Accepted Answer

Leave hwangtae yuksu unsalted if it will become soup, jjigae, porridge, or noodle broth. Soup soy sauce, fish sauce, doenjang, and kimchi add salt later. If drinking the broth plain, season 2 cups with 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt at a time.

Question 5

How do I store Korean dried pollock stock?

Accepted Answer

Store Korean dried pollock stock for 4 days in the refrigerator. Chill the strained stock quickly, uncovered until warm, then cover once cold. Freeze hwangtae yuksu in 2-cup portions for up to 2 months for bugeo-guk, rice porridge, or noodle broth.

Question 6

What can I do with the strained dried pollock after making stock?

Accepted Answer

Refrigerate the strained hwangtae separately for up to 2 days and fold it into Korean soup, seasoned rice, or jeon batter. Press the cooked radish and dried pollock lightly when straining the stock, but do not crush them into the clear broth.

Culinary Explorer

Hwangtae Yuksu (Dried Pollock Stock)

Ingredients

hwangtae (dried pollock strips or shredded dried pollock)

cold water

dried kelp (dasima)

Where cooking meets culture.

Ingredient	Quantity
hwangtae (dried pollock strips or shredded dried pollock)	50g
cold water	10 cups
dried kelp (dasima)	1 piece, about 4 inches square