I'm HUGE in Korea (Part XII)

I know I haven't posted one of these in a while.  It's not that I'm getting less HUGE or that Korea's getting bigger, it's just that I don't carry my camera around as often!  

For the rest in the "I'm HUGE in Korea" series, click here.

꽃게탕! (Korean Crab Soup)

It probably seems, from reading this blog, that the only thing we do these days is eat seafood.  Well, sorry for the lack of posts, but once again it is time for Hweh Club.  


As per the usual, we got a couple kilos of fabulous sashimi. But April's shindig was probably our most adventurous yet, as we were treated to a real delicacy: Korean crab soup, or 꽃게탕.

My good friend Juil served as our guest chef and cooking instructor:

So, here's a list of most of the ingredients:

• fresh crabs (꽃게):  I'm not sure if we had more fun playing with the little guys or eating them!

Actually, they weren't guys at all.  This being April, it was the season for female crabs in Korea.  In the Spring, the female crabs are a considered a delicacy because they are filled with hundreds of tiny, bright orange eggs:  

(Warning!  The faint of heart may not want to watch.)

• spices: red pepper powder (고춧가루), garlic (마늘), soy sauce (간장), red pepper sauce (고추장), fermented soybean paste sauce (된장), etc.

• vegetables: onions (양파) and crown daisy (쑥갓, below) 

• more vegetables: green onions (대파) and Asian radish (무, below)

During dinner, Juil showed us his favorite way of eating this deliciousness:  take the top shell of the crab (with the orange eggs still clinging to it), load it up with rice, spoon on a little of the sweet and spicy broth, stir it all together, and enjoy!

I have to say it was one of the most delicious soups I have ever eaten.  Our only regret was that we didn't make more!  

(By the way, does my face look fat in this picture?)