Gyeran Guk: Light Korean Egg Drop Soup

Prepare the broth: Add water (1000ml), dried anchovies, and dried kelp to a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes. Remove the anchovies and kelp from the broth once infused.

While the broth simmers, prepare other ingredients: Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl. Finely chop the green onion and mince the garlic.

Season the broth: Add the minced garlic and guk-ganjang to the simmering broth. Taste and add salt as needed to your preference.

Add eggs: Increase the heat slightly to maintain a gentle boil. Slowly pour the beaten eggs into the boiling broth in a thin, steady stream while gently stirring the broth in one direction with chopsticks or a fork to create delicate egg strands. Do not stir vigorously.

Finish the soup: Once the eggs are cooked (this takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute), stir in most of the chopped green onion and a pinch of black pepper. Remove the pot from the heat immediately to prevent overcooking the eggs.

Serve: Ladle the hot Gyeran Guk into individual bowls. Drizzle a few drops of sesame oil over each serving and garnish with the remaining fresh green onion before enjoying.