 Chueo-tang served withperilla seed powder | |
| Alternative names | Loach soup |
|---|---|
| Type | Tang |
| Place of origin | Korea |
| Associatedcuisine | Korean cuisine |
| Main ingredients | Pond loach |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 추어탕 |
| Hanja | 鰍魚湯 |
| RR | chueotang |
| MR | ch'uŏt'ang |
| IPA | tɕʰu.ʌ.tʰaŋ |
Chueo-tang (Korean: 추어탕) orloach soup[1] is a Koreantang (soup) that prominently featurespond loach, a freshwater fish.[2][3] The city ofNamwon in southwestern South Korea is known for its version of the dish.[4][5][6]
Chueo (추어;鰍魚) is a nickname forpond loach, calledmikkuraji (미꾸라지) in Korean.Tang (탕;湯) means soup.
As irrigated rice paddies are drained afterchubun (autumnal equinox), chubby pond loaches, ready for hibernation, are easily caught in the ditches dug around paddy fields.[7]Chueo-tang (추어탕) is often a featured dish in banquets for the elderly.[7]
InHanyang (now Seoul) during theJoseon era, the guild of licensedpanhandlers mandated that its members beg only forbap (cooked rice), notbanchan (side dishes) orguk (soup).[7] (The practice was intended to maintain dignity and differentiate members from unlicensed beggars.) As an accompaniment to the rice, Panhandlers hunted pond loaches and madechueo-tang. They were also granted the exclusive rights to sellchueo-tang in the city.[7]
The third-oldest operating restaurant in Seoul,Yonggeumok,[8] specializes in the Seoul style of the dish. In the Seoul style, the fish are served whole, and the soup base useschili pepper flakes instead ofgochujang.[9]
Pond loaches are boiled in water until very tender, and sieved to remove bones and skins.[10] The sieved flesh along with beef or chicken broth is then boiled again and seasoned withgochujang (chili paste),doenjang (soybean paste), grated ginger, and ground black pepper.[10] Vegetable ingredients includemung bean sprouts,Asian royal fern,scallions,napa cabbages, andmustard greens.[10] The soup is often served with groundchopi peppercorns, along withKorean mint leaves (inYeongnam region) orperilla powder (inHonam region).[11]
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