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Overview

Maeuntang

Spicy Fish Stew, Maeun-tang, Korean Spicy Fish Soup

This maeuntang recipe is the Korean fisherman's stew: chunks of white fish simmered in a brick-red gochujang broth with radish, bean sprouts, enoki mushrooms and crown daisy, finished with tofu and spring onions. The broth is the point — spicy, a little sour, and rich with fish — so serve it bubbling hot with rice. One serving is about 600 g.

Maeuntang means 'spicy soup' in Korean, and it grew out of the fishing ports of the south coast, where the day's catch — often the bony, less prized fish — went straight into a communal pot with gochujang and whatever vegetables were at hand. It was fishermen's food first: cheap, hot, and shared at the table straight from the pot. The rule that still defines it is simple — the fish must be fresh, because no amount of chilli can rescue a fish that is not.

Pairs well with: Steamed rice, kimchi & barley tea

Provenance

South Korea flag South Korea

Korean Coastal Classic

East & South Asia

Time Dedication

50m

20m prep • 30m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

309 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 600 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (One Pot)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Soups & Broths Occasions: Cold evenings, comfort dinners, seafood nights, sharing a pot at the table Cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home
Tags: Fish Spicy Savory Soup
Maeuntang — a steaming red Korean spicy fish stew with greens and enoki mushrooms in a wide metal pan

Korean Coastal Classic

Photo: LWY, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)

A good maeuntang is judged by its broth: brick-red, spicy and a little sour, with the fish still in whole pieces.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 50m
P

Prep Stage: Cut the Fish & Season the Broth

20 Mins • Knife Work

Cut the fish into thick steaks and the radish into half-moons, rinse the sprouts and mushrooms, and mix the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and fish sauce into a paste. Everything goes into one pot in layers, so the prep is the whole job — once the pot is on the heat, the stew mostly looks after itself.

Maestro Tip: Keep the fish pieces big — small pieces fall apart in a 30-minute simmer and leave you with fish flakes instead of fish.

  1. 1

    Layer the Pot

    5 Mins No heat yet

    Lay the radish in the bottom of a wide, heavy pot, place the fish steaks on top, and pour in the 1000 ml water. The radish underneath stops the fish from sticking and sweetens the broth as it cooks.

    A wide pot beats a tall one here — the fish cooks evenly and the broth reduces faster.

    Done when: Radish flat on the bottom, fish sitting on top, water just covering.

  2. 2

    Stir in the Seasoning

    2 Mins Medium-high heat, about 190°C (375°F)

    Spoon the gochujang paste over the fish, add the soy sauce and fish sauce, and bring the pot to a boil. Stir gently once so the paste dissolves, then leave the fish alone — stirring breaks it up.

    Taste the broth after 5 minutes: it should be salty, spicy and a little sour. Add water if it is too fierce.

    Done when: Broth is brick-red and boiling around the edges.

  3. 3

    Simmer Until the Fish Is Cooked

    20 Mins Gentle simmer, about 95°C (203°F)

    Turn the heat down, cover loosely, and simmer for 20 minutes. The fish is done when the flesh flakes easily and the centre reaches at least 63°C (145°F). Add the tofu cubes for the last 5 minutes so they warm through without breaking.

    Do not boil hard — a rolling boil clouds the broth and toughens the fish.

    Done when: Fish flakes with a fork; flesh is opaque to the centre; internal temperature at least 63°C (145°F).

  4. 4

    Add the Greens

    3 Mins Simmer, about 95°C (203°F)

    Scatter in the bean sprouts, enoki mushrooms, crown daisy and spring onions, and cook for 3 minutes more — just until the sprouts turn glossy and the greens wilt. They should still have bite.

    Adding the greens last keeps them bright and crisp instead of grey and soggy.

    Done when: Greens wilted but bright; sprouts glossy and just tender.

  5. 5

    Finish and Serve

    2 Mins Off the heat

    Take the pot off the heat, drizzle over the sesame oil, and carry the whole pot to the table. Serve bubbling hot with steamed rice, and let everyone ladle fish, vegetables and broth into their own bowls.

    Sesame oil goes in last — heat destroys its nutty aroma if it simmers.

    Done when: Broth is glossy and red; the table smells of chilli, sesame and the sea.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the maeuntang bubbling hot in its pot, with a big bowl of steamed rice each and the broth ladled generously over the fish — the rice is there to soak up the spicy broth, not to sit beside it.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

309

kcal / serving

Protein

44g

Complete AA

Carbs

20g

Complex

Fats

7g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 600 g)
Energy309 kcal
Protein44 g
Carbohydrates20 g
Fat7 g
Fibre5.2 g
Sugar8.6 g
Sodium1126 mg
Per 100g
Energy52 kcal
Protein7.3 g
Carbohydrates3.3 g
Fat1.2 g
Fibre0.9 g
Sugar1.4 g
Sodium188 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin C and folate from the bean sprouts and greens, vitamin B12 and selenium from the fish, calcium from the tofu. Nutrition is estimated.

High-Protein, Low-Fat Dinner

At 310 kcal a serving with 43.6 g of protein and only 7.2 g of fat, this maeuntang recipe is a genuinely filling dinner that stays light — the fish does the work, not added oil.

A Pot Full of Vegetables

Radish, bean sprouts, mushrooms and crown daisy add 5.2 g of fibre a serving plus vitamin C and folate, so the stew eats like a meal and a salad at once.

One Pot, Little Added Fat

Only 10 ml of sesame oil goes into the whole pot — the richness comes from the fish and the fermented gochujang, not from frying.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Steamed Rice

Plain rice is essential with maeuntang — it soaks up the spicy broth, cools the heat, and turns the stew into a complete meal.

Kimchi

A small dish of kimchi adds sour crunch that echoes the gochujang in the broth, and the cold pickle contrasts with the bubbling-hot stew.

Drinks

Barley Tea

Warm, nutty barley tea is the classic Korean table drink with spicy food — it refreshes the palate between spoonfuls without adding sweetness.

Cold Soju or Beer

A small glass of cold soju or a light lager is the traditional fisherman's companion to maeuntang — cold, clean and simple against the heat.

Complete menu

Serve the maeuntang bubbling in its pot with steamed rice, a small dish of kimchi and barley tea; a second helping of rice for anyone who wants more broth.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Boiling the Fish Hard

A hard rolling boil breaks the fish into flakes and clouds the broth. Keep it at a gentle simmer once it boils, and the fish stays in whole steaks. This is general cooking guidance, not medical advice.

Drinking All the Broth if You Watch Salt

The broth holds most of the salt — about 1126 mg of sodium a serving is already in the stew, and the liquid is the saltiest part. Enjoy the fish and vegetables, and leave some broth behind. This is general food-safety information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA warming, complete one-pot dinner — rice on the side makes it a full meal.
  • ChildrenSuitable for older children who like spice; for younger ones, use half the gochugaru and more tofu.
  • ElderlySoft fish and vegetables are easy to chew; keep the spice mild and the portion modest because of the salt.
  • Pregnant womenGenerally suitable; the fish must be cooked through to 63°C (165°F) and the stew served hot — keep the portion moderate because of the sodium, and ask your clinician if you are unsure.
  • Breastfeeding womenGenerally suitable; the protein and warmth are comforting — watch the salt and eat the fish and vegetables rather than all the broth.
  • AthletesA solid post-training dinner with rice: high in protein, warming and easy to eat in a big portion.
  • Weight gainA good choice — the protein is generous, and a second helping of rice adds more energy.
  • Weight lossAt 310 kcal a serving, this fits a weight-loss plan well — load up on the fish and vegetables, go easy on the rice, and leave some broth.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesOnly about 19.6 g of carbohydrate a serving in the stew itself — the rice on the side is the part to measure; ask your clinician.
  • High blood pressureAt about 1126 mg of sodium a serving, this is salty — do not drink all the broth and use less soy sauce; ask your clinician if you are on a sodium limit.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in sodium and potassium — keep the portion small and leave the broth; ask your clinician.
  • GoutFish is generally low in purines, but the rich broth and soy sauce make this an occasional dish for gout — keep portions small; ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesSpicy, acidic and hot, so it can sting a sensitive stomach or trigger reflux — try a small amount first; ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseLow in saturated fat and rich in fish protein, but salty — balance it with vegetables and leave the broth; ask your clinician.
  • Fatty liverLow in fat, which helps — but the sodium is high, so keep portions modest and skip the extra soy sauce; ask your clinician.
  • Food allergiesContains fish, soy (soy sauce, tofu) and sesame; the gochujang may contain wheat — check the label if you have a wheat or soy allergy.
  • Special therapeutic dietsSuitable for a gluten-free diet with certified gluten-free gochujang and soy sauce; for a vegetarian version this dish does not adapt — it is built on fish; ask your clinician or dietitian.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store in an airtight container in the fridge; keep the rice separate.
In the fridge
2 days — the fish is best eaten the same day.
In the freezer
1 month; the fish texture softens but the broth freezes well.
How to reheat
Reheat on the stove until boiling, about 100°C (212°F), and make sure the fish reaches 74°C (165°F).
Freezing recommended
Only the broth freezes well — freeze the broth, and cook fresh fish when you serve it.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour or fishy smell beyond the normal chilli tang, slimy fish, or mould on the surface.

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