Kalguksu (Korean Knife-cut Noodle Soup)
A comforting Korean noodle soup: chewy hand-cut wheat noodles simmered with zucchini in a milky anchovy-kelp broth. Humble but deeply savory, it's the bowl Koreans crave on a rainy day.
Ingredients
- Kalguksu noodles · fresh, or make dough400 g
- Zucchini · julienned0.5
- Potato · thinly sliced, optional1
- Scallion1
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Soup soy sauce1 tbsp
- Salt · to taste
- Anchovy broth
- Dried anchovies · guts removed15
- Dried kelp (dashima) · palm-sized1 piece
- Water8 cups
- Sauce (optional)
- Soy sauce2 tbsp
- Gochugaru1 tbsp
- Scallion, garlic, sesame · a little
Steps
- ⏲ 15 min
Simmer the anchovies and kelp in cold water. Once boiling, remove the kelp and let the anchovies steep 10 more minutes, then strain for a clear broth.
- ⏲ 5 min
Add the potato to the broth to soften, then season with the minced garlic and soup soy sauce.
- ⏲ 1 min
Shake the noodles loose and add them so they don't clump. (Brush off excess flour on fresh noodles so the broth stays clear.)
- ⏲ 4 min
When the noodles start to cook, add the zucchini and scallion and simmer 3-4 minutes more.
- ⏲ 1 min
Adjust with salt. Ladle into bowls and serve with toasted seaweed or the seasoning sauce.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Bajirak kalguksu: Add purged clams for a briny, clean broth.
- Chicken kalguksu: Rich broth and meat from a simmered chicken.
- Perilla kalguksu: Stir in ground perilla seeds for a nutty bowl.
- Pat-kalguksu: A southern treat cooked in sweet red-bean broth.
Tips
- Pull the kelp out before it boils to avoid bitterness and sliminess.
- Brush the flour off fresh noodles so the broth doesn't turn cloudy.
- Don't overcook the noodles — take them off slightly underdone.
- Season with soup soy sauce plus salt for clean color and taste.
- Add the seasoning sauce if you like it spicy.
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