.: evil jungle prince :.

The weather this week has been fairly miserable for a person who thrives on sun and heat. Cold winds and grey skies conspired to make me crave food that would warm me up both on the inside and the outside. This is how I concluded that today's lunch simply had to be a big, delicious bowl of Korean clam soup (daehap guk or 대합국/대합별탕).

Jo gae gook isn't too demanding to cook. This is the second time I've made it and both efforts have been successful. The only variation I attempted this time was the addition of garlic, which tasted wonderful but added slightly to the difficulty level as it required straining the soup afterwards to maintain clarity.

1. First I created a salt water brine and allowed the Manila clams to soak for 30 mins. This removes any dirt which may be present. They were then thoroughly rinsed with cold water.

2. Next I filled a pot of purified water, adding a little sea salt. When the water came to a boil, I added the clams and allowed them to sit until they began to open, about 5 mins. These were then removed from the broth and the unopeneded clams discarded.

3. After turning down the heat to a very slight boil, I then added tofu and chili peppers. After a minute or two, I then re-added the clams and green onions, and served. (Note: if you use garlic, you'll need to strain the broth as the garlic will be unsightly.)

I wanted something for lunch that would warm me up and this did the job thoroughly. Gone were my cold fingers and feet; instead my forehead perspired as I joyfully slurped my savory soup with its flirty hint Jalapeno heat. Despite the lack of sun today, my soul felt warmed by this simple, elegant, filling soup.