Rich and Spicy Jang-Kalguksu
Hearty Jang-Kalguksu: A Perfect Dish for Chilly Evenings!
On a rather chilly evening when a warm, soupy dish comes to mind, we tried Jang-Kalguksu that warms your entire body with just one bowl! It’s even more delicious on a rainy day, offering a savory soybean paste flavor with a refreshing finish! We enjoyed it with plenty of vegetables.
Ingredients- 700ml rice water or anchovy broth
- 1 serving store-bought kalguksu noodles
- 1.5 Tbsp doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 zucchini (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 onion (thinly sliced)
- Half handful oyster mushrooms (torn into bite-sized pieces)
- Appropriate amount of green onion (chopped)
- Appropriate amount of sesame seeds (for garnish)
- 3-4 dried shiitake mushrooms (rehydrated)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vegetables for the kalguksu. Finely chop the green onion. Thinly slice the zucchini and onion into half-moon shapes. Tear the oyster mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. If using dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrate them in lukewarm water, remove the tough stems, and slice them thinly for a deeper flavor.
Step 2
In a deep pot, pour about 700ml of rice water or anchovy broth. Dissolve 1.5 tablespoons of doenjang thoroughly, ensuring there are no clumps. Doenjang is key to the savory broth; dissolving it in cold water beforehand can help it mix more smoothly.
Step 3
Add 2 tablespoons of gochujang to the broth base and mix well. You can adjust the ratio of doenjang and gochujang to your preference. This combination creates the rich and deep flavor characteristic of Jang-Kalguksu.
Step 4
Stir in half a tablespoon of minced garlic to balance the richness of the gochujang and add a refreshing taste to the broth. Before adding the vegetables and noodles, the broth should taste slightly saltier than desired, as it will mellow out once the noodles are cooked.
Step 5
Add all the prepared vegetables (zucchini, onion, oyster mushrooms, and rehydrated shiitake mushrooms) to the pot. Set the green onions aside for now. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat once bubbling. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface; this step helps create a clear and clean-tasting broth.
Step 6
Once the vegetables are tender, indicated by the zucchini becoming slightly translucent, add the chopped green onions and the store-bought kalguksu noodles. Gently loosen the noodles with chopsticks to prevent them from sticking together.
Step 7
Cook until the noodles are fully done, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Adjust the cooking time based on your noodle’s package instructions and your preferred texture. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve hot for a comforting meal!
