Spicy Korean-Chinese Seafood Soup (Jjampong)

By
Naomi Imatome-Yun
Naomi Imatome-Yun
Asian food expert Naomi Imatome-Yun is a freelance writer and the author of four Asian food cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/10/23
Spicy Korean Chinese Seafood Soup

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

 
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 3 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
309 Calories
8g Fat
27g Carbs
33g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories 309
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 187mg 62%
Sodium 3545mg 154%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 33g
Vitamin C 19mg 97%
Calcium 123mg 9%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 803mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Spicy Korean-Chinese seafood soup (champong or jjampong) is one of the most popular dishes at Chinese restaurants in Korea and in Koreatowns all over the world. While these restaurants don't have lo mein or kung pao chicken, they serve jajangmyun (black bean noodles) or jjampong.

The word jjampong comes from the Japanese word for mix, and the dish itself was supposedly created by Chinese immigrants living in Nagasaki, Japan. It's a soothing mix of noodles, seafood, vegetables, and meat in a spicy, savory soup.

At most restaurants, you'll usually see squid, shrimp, and mussels with vegetables in a fiery red soup base. It's easy to make and simple to adapt this soup for your own tastes and spice level at home.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Chinese egg noodles, long, or udon noodles

  • 6 to 12 clams, or mussels, scrubbed clean

  • 7 cups chicken broth, beef broth, or anchovy broth

  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic

  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger

  • 1 tablespoon kochukaru Korean red chile pepper flakes

  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced pork

  • 1 small onion, halved and sliced

  • 6 to 7 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced squid, cleaned

  • 1/2 medium carrot, julienned

  • 1 scallion, cut into 2-inch pieces

  • 1 cup sliced napa cabbage, or bok choy, in 1-inch chunks, or thinly sliced American cabbage

  • 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and thinly sliced

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 green chile pepper, seeded and sliced, optional

  • 1 red chile pepper, seeded and sliced, optional

  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for spicy Korean Chinese seafood soup
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. In a large pot, cook the egg noodles (or udon noodles) according to package directions. Make sure not to overcook noodles—they should have some texture.

    Cook egg noodles
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Drain and set aside.

    Drain
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. In a soup pot, bring mussels (or clams) and 2 cups of water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a low simmer, and cook for a few minutes until the shells open.

    Bring mussels and water to boil
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Drain (reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid) and set aside the mussels or clams.

    Drain
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Add the one cup of cooking liquid to the chicken broth (or beef or anchovy broth).

    Add cooking liquid
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Heat a well-oiled deep sauté pan or large wok and sauté garlic and ginger briefly.

    Add seasoning
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Add chile pepper flakes (kochukaru), pork, and onions. Stir-fry.

    Spicy Korean Chinese Seafood Soup
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  9. After a few minutes, add shrimp, squid, carrots, scallions, and stir-fry.

    Spicy Korean Chinese Seafood Soup
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  10. After another few minutes, add cooked mussels (or clams), cabbage, mushrooms, and broth.

    Spicy Korean Chinese Seafood Soup
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  11. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, simmer, and let cook for 5 more minutes.

    Spicy Korean Chinese Seafood Soup
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  12. Add soy sauce, salt, pepper, chiles, and fish sauce, to taste.

    Spicy Korean Chinese Seafood Soup
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  13. Place noodles in individual soup bowls and ladle soup over noodles.

    Spicy Korean Chinese Seafood Soup
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  14. Serve and enjoy!

    Spicy Korean Chinese Seafood Soup
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Tip

  • Korean-style Chinese restaurants also usually serve this with slices of takwang (danmooji, yellow pickled daikon radish) and slices of raw onions and black bean sauce (to dip the onions into).