when making seafood soup (or any meat-based soup), the bulk of the flavor comes from the bones and shells. and that’s why whenever we eat seafood, we always try find a way to make good use of the parts that normally gets thrown away. one night, we were in the mood for seafood tempura. we bought a whole fish and 1/2 lb of shrimp. after filleting the fish and peeling the shrimp, we used the bones and shells to make a soup. in addition, adding some fresh clams will greatly enhance the seafood flavor.
we like to grate the daikon because it breaks down quicker and the sweetness of the root incorporates into the soup faster. the same goes for the ginger. the alternative is to slice them thinly.
head and bones of 1 whole fish
shells and heads from 1/2 lb of shrimp
fresh clams 1/2 lb
grated daikon 1 cup
ginger grated 2 tbsp
fish sauce 1 tbsp
water 2 liters
- in a pot, boil about 2 liters of water
- toss in the fish bones and head and the shrimp shells and heads
- turn heat to low and simmer for about 30 min
- add the grated daikon and ginger and fish sauce, simmer for another 30 min
- use a strainer to scoop out the bones and shells
- turn heat back on high, then toss in the fresh clams and cook until the clams fully open, about 4-5 min
- salt to taste if necessary
the bones and shells are the source of flavor
toss in the grated daikon and ginger
scoop out or strain the bones and shells
cook the clams when the soup is almost ready to serve
a bowl of simple light flavors of the sea
jun
for a more japanese taste, add miso paste instead of fish sauce.
Homemade in Hong Kong 