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.