Warm Noodle Soup 잔치국수 Janchi Guksu

I'm back with another  recipe, finally. I have had so much happening lately. This week I have had work and also all of my exam results have been released. So now I'm faced with the problem of what I should apply for in university. My results weren't too and so I have a pretty large choice of courses, but I don't know what I want to do yet...still.

It's cold in the Northern Hemisphere these days and as it approaches Christmas we all want some more homely and warm food. So today I'm going to bring to you a warm version of something that I have made before.

I'm going to post a recipe for janchi guksu 잔치국수 which is a simple warm noodle dish made with thin wheat flour noodles  that are usually in a clear anchovy or beef broth. It is typically topped with thin strips of beef, eggs, and vegetables. I have previously posted a cold version of this dish that you could eat in summer, this is more suited for colder times. You can find my other recipe here.

Noodles symbolize long and happy lives in Korean culture. Thus, this noodle dish is traditionally served alongside other special occasion foods at large feasts such as weddings. The name of the dish comes from that tradition. And you know what, there is no better time to hope for longevity that at Christmas.

Today's recipe is going to have an anchovie broth but you are welcome to use a beef broth if you wish.

Ingredients
250g somyeon  noodles
Anchovy Broth
10 - 12 medium to large dried anchovies (myulchi)
1 square dried kelp
100g Korean radish, cut into cubes
1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
1/2 of scallion
6 cups water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Toppings 
1/2 zucchini julienned
1 small carrot julienned
1 egg, beaten and fried into a thin sheet
100g beef, cut into thin strips (if you make a beef broth use the same cut of beef)
2 sheets of dried seaweed
1/2 scallion chopped

Method
1. Wrap all the anchovies and kelp is a cheesecloth and secure it into a pouch.
2. Add all broth ingredients to a medium pot. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and boil for 10 minutes, uncovered.
3. Remove anchovies and kelp from the broth.
4. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste and boil for an additional 15 minutes over medium heat.
5. Remove all vegetables from the broth. Keep it warm over very low heat while preparing the toppings and noodles.
6. Season the beef strips with 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, and pinch black pepper. (If you use a beef broth season the cooked meat) Set aside while preparing the vegetables.
7.  Lightly sprinkle salt over zucchini and set aside  for 5 - 10 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid from salted zucchini and sauté in a lightly oiled pan over medium high heat (1 - 2 minutes).
8. Sauté the carrots in a lightly oiled pan over medium high heat (1- 2 minutes), sprinkling salt and pepper to taste.
9. Sauté the beef in a pan for 2 - 3 minutes over high heat. (skip if using a beef broth)
10. Cut the seaweed into thin strips.
11.  Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook somyeon noodles according to the package instructions. 12. Drain quickly and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Continue to drain and rinse in cold water.
13. Make two one-serving size mounds as you remove from the water. Place the mounds in a colander to drain. Place the noodles in a serving bowl.
14. Pour the hot broth over the noodles.
15. Nicely arrange a small amount of each topping on top of the noodles.
16. Finish the dish off with a sprinkle of the chopped scallions.
Serve the dish whilst still warm and you will have everyone feeling warm and toasty and right at home with the meal that is a reminder of the good times at home.

There seems to be a lot of work that goes into the dish but the end result makes up for all of it with the taste being absolutely amazing.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe because is perfect as a home cooked meal to prepare you for the amazing Christmas dinner that you are bound to have. I hope that you all stay safe, healthy and happy until my next post.

AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Kalguksu 칼국수

Hey guys, so I am returning with a post today ^^ Finally right? Well, the weather has gotten a lot colder so I just feel like eating hot foods all day long. Bye bye to cold foods. Even today, I made a batch of hotteok because I wanted to eat a hot snack food.

Anyways, today I will posting a recipe for kalguksu 칼국수, which is also known as cut noodles. The dish is made of handmade, knife-cut wheat flour noodles served in a large bowl with broth and other ingredients. It is traditionally considered a seasonal food, consumed most often in summer.

The record of kalguksucan be found in documents of the Goryeo era, but the descriptions are vague and the nature of the noodles isn't clear. In the 12th century document Goryeo dogyeong it is mentioned that noodles were only eaten on special occasions, as wheat flour was very expensive, being imported from China.

A cooking description can be found in a later document, The Best New Cooking Methods of Joseon, written in 1924. In the 1934 book Simple Joseon Cooking, the recipe calls for the noodles to be boiled and rinsed in cold water before adding broth and garnish, a method that differs from the modern version of boiling the noodles together with the broth.

Often the noodles are made with dough from wheat flour and eggs, and sometimes ground bean powder is added for texture. The dough is let to breathe, then rolled out thinly and cut in long strips. The broth for kalguksu is usually made with dried anchovies, shellfish, and kelp. Sometimes chicken broth would be used.

In order to obtain a rich flavor, the ingredients are simmered for many hours. The noodles and various vegetables, most often zucchini, potatoes, and scallions are added and boiled together. Usually seasoned with salt, the noodles are served with garnish of choice.

And now, to get to the recipe:

Noodles
Ingredients
1 cup All-purpose Flour
1/3 cup Cold Water
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Oil

Method
1. Mix flour, water, salt oil to form a dough and knead for 10 minutes.
2. Wrap in plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes.
3. On a clean, floured surface, roll out the dough with a roller to a thin sheet. 4. Fold and cut with a knife.
4. Flour the cut noodles to keep each strand separated.

Broth
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup Carrot, Chopped
1 whole Onion, Chopped
1 stalk Celery, Chopped
1 package Chicken Parts
6 cups Water
1 Tablespoon Salt
¼ whole Zucchini
2 whole Potatoes, Cubed
1 bunch Hand Rolled Fresh Noodles
2 Tablespoons Fresh Ground Black Pepper
2 stalks Green Onion (chopped)

Method
1. Heat your olive oil in a large soup pot. Add chopped carrot, onion and celery and cook until soft and fragrant.
2. Add 4-6 cups of water and chicken parts. Boil chicken for about 15 minutes until the meat is tender and falls off the bone.
3. Remove chicken, but continue to simmer broth. Remove meat from bones and place in a bowl for later use. Put the skin and bones back into the pot and continue to simmer for at least an hour. Add the tablespoon of salt, or season to your taste.
4. In the meantime, you can go ahead and chop up your zucchini and your potatoes.
5. Strain stock when it is ready
6. Add zucchini, potatoes and chicken.
7. Add your fresh noodles.
8. When noodles are ready add pepper and garnish.
Serve hot.



And there you have it, a hot dish that you can eat as the weather starts to turn for the cold. And best thing about it, if you can't handle spicy food this will be perfect to warm you up. Also, you can eat it when you have a cols or are feeling a bit under the weather.

Until next time, remember to keep happy, warm and healthy.