Not that I had a Soju party last night, apparently mussel stew is quite popular as a drinking side dish (with soju). Soju is a type of alcohol made with rice or sweet potatoes, originally from Korea. It has a very strong taste like vodka, I would say it feels like industrial or medical alcohol. 
You can read more about Soju from wikipedia.
Mussels are very cheap in Korea, you can get 1 kg of unshelled mussels for about 3000 won (US $3.20) What is more, it is the best time to have them now! - Late autumn to early spring apparently.
It took a fair bit of time to clean them for cooking. “Cheap to eat, but hard work.”
By the way, if you buy this dish at a restaurant, it will cost about 12,000 to 15,000 won. (US $12.65-15.80) So it is better to cook it yourself to save a penny. 
Ingredients for 2 people (You will need a pot and a wok)
(Expected preparation time (excluding cleaning and soaking) - 5 minutes, Cooking time - about 6 minutes)
- Mussel 500g
- 1 green chili
- Garlic 1tsp
- Chili powder 2 tbsp
- Gochujang 1 tbsp
- Soy sauce 2 tbsp
- Cooking syrup (or corn syrup) 1 tbsp
- Water 5 cups
Preparation
- Clean the mussels individually with a rough cloth or brush.
- Soak the mussels in cold water for about 1 hour. (Add some salt)
- Drain the mussels.
- Thin slice the chili.
- Put some water into the pot, boil the mussels.
- When it boils, scoop out the white froth if there is any.
- Take out all the mussels, and 1 cup of boiled water (broth) from the pot.
You can discard the rest of the broth or re-use it for other cooking if you want.
Cooking
- Pre heat the wok for 10 seconds.
- Add some oil and the garlic.
- Stir it quickly and add the chili powder and green chili.
- Stir it quickly and add the gochujang, cooking syrup, and the soy sauce.
- Stir it quickly and add the broth.
- Add the mussel and simmer it for 3 minutes.
7. Serve it on the plate. (I didn’t use up all the sauce, if some is left, just throw it away.)
I had this stew as a main dish for dinner. It was good. Soup (sauce) was spicy though, actual mussels weren’t too spicy. (It was spicy around my lips, I wonder why?)
By the way, now I am starting to wonder, how would this dish work out with Soju? So if any of you are going to try this spicy mussel stew with Soju, please tell me. I am dying to know.
Warning
- You may sneeze a lot, while you are cooking.
Also, here is a recommendation from me. Lots of people mentioned steamed egg as another side dish along with mussel stew, because it dilutes the spicy tastes. So I made a very simple version of steamed egg, though silly me! I forgot to add some water in it. So the steamed egg turned out really solid, haha. Anyway, I will make steamed egg properly some other time, then you can try too.
However, for people who are eager to know how I cooked, here is the basic recipe (For 2 people).
- 4 eggs (well beaten)
- Water 1/2 cup (which I forgot to add)
- Pepper, salt, sesame oil - a little each
Other Recommended Drinker’s Mates
Tuna Pancakes (Chamchijeon in Korean)
Fish Cake Soup (Eomuk-Guk in Korean)
Related Posts
Shellfish and Chewy Noodle Soup (Bajirak Kalguksu in Korean)
Spicy Chicken & Vegetable Stew (Dak doritang in Korean?)
Korean cuisine, Korean Food, mussel, mussel stew, Seafood, soju, Soup and Stew
OMG, mussels. I should try this, I’m a big fans of gochujang
Have you ever tried to cook mussels like at http://indonesia-eats.blogspot.com/2006/11/kerang-hijau-saus-padang-mussels-with.html
this looks quite spicy, but must be good on a cold night.
Hi, Pepy
No, I haven’t tried cooking mussels like in your recipe. But I will try and tell you how it turned out.
Hi, Kat
I really think it goes well with soju or shochu. Though I couldn’t sleep well that night, because my stomach was kind of aching from the spice.
Hi there,
I’ve been trying some of your recipes (just moved to Korea) and wanted to try this one.
I’ve been reading up on cooking mussels, though, and lots of people say not to soak them. Is yours just a different method?
Thanks!
Hi Adrienne,
What is the reason for not soaking them? Is it really bad if I do so?
I just like to soak them, because they seem to be cleaner that way.
I know some people say that mussels don’t need to be soaked in salty water and just need some trimming of its side, but others say to do so. I don’t know what to follow.
Thank you for the response. I think it’s just a matter of preference! Since it’s your recipe, I’ll try it your way. I know it kills mussels to soak them in fresh water, but salty water should be okay.
Thanks for all the information, and please keep it up! I wouldn’t know what to do with all this wonderful Korean food (or how to find some of it) without your website.
Thank Adrienne for your support.
I will do my best to keep up the good work.