Haemultang: fiery Korean seafood stew overflowing with ocean umami

Come into my kitchen, friend—Haemultang is the kind of Korean seafood stew that warms your hands before it warms your belly. As the red broth bubbles around clams, shrimp, squid, and sweet crab, the room fills with a briny, garlicky aroma that feels like a seaside market on a cold day.

This beloved Korean seafood hot pot grew from Korea’s coastal cooking traditions, where fishermen turned the freshest catch into a shared, spicy meal. Every spoonful brings clean ocean sweetness, bright chile heat, and a deeply comforting broth.

Ingredients for a comforting haemultang 🦀

• 1 blue crab, cleaned and halved
• 8 clams, scrubbed
• 6 large shrimp and 150 g squid, cleaned
• 4 cups anchovy-kelp stock or water
• 2 tablespoons gochugaru, 1 tablespoon gochujang, and 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, 1 zucchini, 1 small onion, enoki mushrooms, and 2 scallions

How to make Korean haemultang 🍲

1. Build the broth. Add stock, gochugaru, gochujang, soup soy sauce, garlic, onion, and zucchini to a wide pot. Bring it to a lively boil.
2. Add the crab. Nestle in the crab and simmer for 8 minutes until the shell turns a glowing orange-red.
3. Cook the seafood. Add clams, shrimp, and squid. Listen for the clams to pop open as the broth bubbles around them.
4. Finish with vegetables. Add enoki mushrooms and scallions, then cook for 2 more minutes. Discard any clams that stay closed.
5. Serve piping hot. Bring the pot straight to the table with rice and kimchi, then enjoy the clean, spicy ocean broth while it is steaming.

Health benefits and helpful tips 🌿

• Seafood provides protein and minerals that can help restore steady energy and the body’s natural balance.
• Use very fresh seafood and rinse clams well to keep the broth sweet and clean.
• Add squid last so it stays tender rather than rubbery.

Common haemultang questions 💬

Can I make haemultang without crab?

Yes. Use extra clams, shrimp, mussels, or firm white fish, then simmer gently until just cooked.

How spicy is traditional Korean haemultang?

It is pleasantly hot, but you can reduce the gochugaru to 1 tablespoon for a milder stew.

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TAGS: #Busan, #Haemultang, #MarineChitosan, #KoreanSeafoodStew, #KoreanFood