Kimguk (Laver Soup)

Kim is the most popular Korean lastname. Now, you might be thinking why I’m elaborating about a topic which seems to be irrelevant to kimguk, but I’ve a perfectly reasonable explanation. Laver, widely consumed here in Korea was named by the king after Kim Yeo Ik from from Taein island southwest of the Korean peninsula. Fisherman Kim succeeded in cultivating kim (laver) for the first time in this part of the world.

What is mesmerizing about kim is the fresh smell of the ocean. It’s usually served toasted or seasoned with salt and perilla oil. Kimguk is a clear soup with dried kim.

Ingredients

Serves 1

1 toasted sheet of kim (laver)

100ml stock (preferably sea food like oyster or clam)

1/5 teaspoon canari aekjeot (sand lance sauce)

1 pinch ground pepper

1 pinch roasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Place stock in a pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.

2. Season with sand lance sauce and pepper.

3. Tear kim in bite-sizes and sprinkle over the bowl along with sesame seeds. Serve immediately either cool or warm.