Basic Noodle Soup In Anchovy Broth (Guksu)

Maangchi's Real Korean Cooking

Posted by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

About

Serves 2

This noodle soup has a clear broth that is slightly fishy and full of umami flavor. Most Korean housewives keep anchovy stock on hand so they can make a satisfying bowl of noodles at a moment’s notice; you can substitute a meat-based stock, though the taste will be very different. The recipe scales up (or down) easily. It is also easy to play with: For example, try adding chopped kimchi or cooked finely chopped beef to each bowl before serving for a more complex version.

While noodle soup is great for when friends drop in and you need food in a hurry, it is also a special-occasion dish. Koreans traditionally associate long thin noodles with longevity, so this soup is often served at birthday parties, to wish for a long life, and at weddings, to wish for a long marriage.

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You Will Need (11 things)

  • 1 tsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Garlic clove, minced
  • 4 Pieces packaged fried Tofu , sliced into thin strips
  • Kosher Salt
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 2 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil , plus more for sprinkling
  • 8 oz Thin wheat flour Noodles (somyeon)
  • 3 cup Anchovy-Kelp Stock
  • 2 Scallions , chopped
  • 2 tsp Korean hot Pepper Flakes (gochu-garu; optional)
  • 2 Sheets dried Seaweed paper (gim, aka nori), toasted and crushed

Steps (4 steps, 45 minutes)

  1. 1

    Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil, garlic, fried tofu strips, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the garlic is crisp and golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and toasted sesame oil and stir for another minute to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

  2. 2

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles, stirring with a wooden spoon so that they won’t stick to each other, and cook until tender but still chewy, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the noodles and transfer them to a large bowl of cold water to cool and remove excess starch. Drain. Rinse and drain the noodles under cold running water a couple of times until they are cold and not slippery.

  3. 3

    Divide the noodles between two soup bowls or put them in earthenware serving pots.

  4. 4

    Heat the anchovy stock until hot, then pour it over the noodles so the stock covers the noodles by 1 inch. Add half the tofu strips, the scallions, hot pepper flakes (if using), crushed seaweed paper, and a few drops of toasted sesame oil to each bowl. Sprinkle with salt, if desired. Serve immediately.