Bean sprout soup is great for hangovers, when you have a cold, or just when you want to make a simple soup.

It may seem like nothing special, but once you try making it, you'll notice a significant difference in taste.

Especially that clear and refreshing flavor you get at restaurants; strangely, it's not easy to replicate that at home.

However, if you know a few key points, you can definitely achieve that feeling at home.

From my experience, the main points come down to just two things: the broth and the cooking time for the bean sprouts.

First, for the ingredients, prepare about 300g of bean sprouts, which is roughly two handfuls, and about 1.2 liters of water.

When making the broth, anchovies and kelp are essential. Use about 7-8 anchovies and one piece of kelp.

If you add a bit of dried pollack, it enhances the flavor significantly. You can use anchovy powder, but using whole anchovies gives a deeper taste.

For seasoning, use one tablespoon of minced garlic, 1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and add salt later to taste.

At the end, add green onions, and if you like it spicy, a little bit of red pepper powder or jalapeño will be great.

Here's the most important tip: the lid.

Many people complain about a fishy smell in the bean sprouts because they don't know this.

The method is to either keep the lid open the entire time or close it completely and never open it until the end.

If you open and close it during cooking, the smell will escape. Personally, I find it easier to cook with the lid open.

Secondly, timing is crucial. You shouldn't cook the bean sprouts for too long. They become tough and lose flavor.

About 5 minutes is perfect. If you cook them too long, they get tough and lose their texture. The crunchiness is what makes bean sprout soup.

Now, let me tell you the steps. First, put the anchovies and kelp in the water and boil for about 10-15 minutes to make the broth.

Once it's boiling, remove the anchovies and kelp. If left too long, it will become bitter. Then, add the bean sprouts. You can wash them and add them directly.

After adding the bean sprouts, add a little minced garlic and soy sauce, and let it boil for about 5 minutes. The key here is not to boil it for too long. At the end, add the green onions and adjust the salt to taste.

One more tip: if you want to achieve that restaurant-quality flavor, add a little bit of fermented shrimp sauce. This will make the taste much cleaner.

It will taste deeper and more refreshing than just using soy sauce. You don't need to add much; just one spoonful of the sauce is enough.

Even with just this, when you make it at home, people will say, "Wait, did you buy this somewhere?"

It's really not complicated, but the details make all the difference in the flavor of bean sprout soup.

It's easy to make when you're busy, great when you're not feeling well, and perfect for hangovers.

Once you try making it properly, you'll probably keep using this method. It's not difficult, so definitely give it a try.