Spicy Korean-Style Noodle and Seafood Soup (Haemul Jjampong)

Korean haemul jjampong is a fiery noodle and seafood soup with Chinese origins. In our simplified version, we lean on the fermented chili paste called gochujang to lend the broth a reddish hue, depth of flavor and pleasant spice. And as a base for the soup we use basic Japanese dashi, a stock made with kombu (a type of seaweed) and shaved smoked bonito. You can make your own dashi or opt for store-bought instant dashi; look for it sold in a box, bag or jar in the international aisle of the supermarket and prepare it according to package directions. If dashi is not available, two 8-ounce bottles of clam juice plus 3 cups water is a decent substitute. Dried udon is a stand-in for the fresh noodles typically used in jjampong, or if you’re up for it, try 12 ounces homemade Asian wheat noodles. Scallops (or shrimp) are optional in this recipe, but they’re a delicious extra that complement the briny clams and buttery fish.