Chewy and Delicious Potato Hand-Pulled Noodles (Gamja Sujebi)
Homemade Chewy Potato Sujebi Recipe
On a particularly tough day, I decided to make something simple and comforting that I love: Gamja Sujebi (Korean potato hand-pulled noodles)! I was craving sujebi and kalguksu, and it just hit the spot. Although I usually find making the dough tedious, I decided to whip it up quickly since I was making it for my daughter. Let me share a simple and quick recipe for delicious potato sujebi. Perfect for a rainy or gloomy day! Let’s get started~
Main Ingredients- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 50ml water (for dough)
- 2 potatoes
- 1/4 zucchini
- 1 Cheongyang chili pepper (optional)
- 1.2L water (for broth)
- 1 dashima (dried kelp) pack
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 0.5 Tbsp of salt. Mix them well. This step seasons the dough lightly.
Step 2
The amount of water needed for the dough is about 1/4 of the flour quantity, which is approximately 50ml (about 1/4 cup). The crucial tip here is not to add all the water at once. Instead, add the water gradually, a spoonful at a time, while mixing and checking the dough consistency. This prevents the dough from becoming too wet.
Step 3
Continue to add water little by little and knead the dough vigorously with your hands. Initially, it might seem powdery, but it will gradually come together to form a round ball of dough. The dough should be firm enough that it only slightly sticks to your hands. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour; if it’s too dry, add a tiny bit more water.
Step 4
The secret to delicious sujebi lies in kneading the dough sufficiently. Kneading it more than 100 times will result in softer and chewier noodles. Repeatedly fold and punch the dough to develop the gluten structure.
Step 5
While some restaurant or “golden ratio” recipes recommend a 24-hour dough fermentation, you can achieve a great texture with this shortcut if you’re short on time! After kneading the dough, wrap it and place it in the freezer for about 15 minutes. This will make the dough more elastic and chewy. Be careful not to freeze it for too long!
Step 6
In a pot, add 1.2L of water and the dashima pack. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes to extract the flavorful broth. This ensures the broth doesn’t reduce too much and retains its depth of flavor.
Step 7
Now, let’s prepare the star ingredient: potatoes! Peel 2 potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces, about 1.5cm thick. After slicing, soak the potatoes in cold water for a short while to remove excess starch, which helps keep the broth clear.
Step 8
Slice the zucchini into thin, half-moon shapes about 0.5cm thick. Finely mince the Cheongyang chili pepper if you’re using it for a bit of heat. Adding chili pepper is highly recommended if you enjoy a spicy kick!
Step 9
Remove the dashima pack from the broth and add the sliced potatoes. Since the potatoes are thick, they need to be cooked first to ensure they are tender all the way through.
Step 10
Once the potatoes begin to soften, add 1 Tbsp of soup soy sauce to the broth for initial seasoning. This adds a subtle savory flavor to the soup.
Step 11
It’s time to add the hand-pulled noodles. Lightly wet your hands and pinch off small, thin pieces of dough from the main ball using your thumb. Making them thin helps them cook faster and results in a better texture. You can also use a spoon.
Step 12
After adding the sujebi dough, stir gently occasionally to prevent the pieces from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Remember, it’s more important to pull the dough thinly than to rush, so take your time.
Step 13
Although we added soup soy sauce earlier, taste the broth and add another 1 Tbsp of soup soy sauce if needed to adjust the overall seasoning. Adding it in two stages helps develop a richer flavor.
Step 14
Add 0.5 Tbsp of minced garlic and simmer for a bit longer. Taste the soup and adjust with salt if necessary. I found it a bit bland, so I added a little more salt. Feel free to adjust the seasoning to your preference.
Step 15
Finally, add the sliced zucchini and the optional minced Cheongyang chili pepper. Cook for another moment until the zucchini is tender and translucent. Your delicious potato sujebi is ready!
Step 16
Gently press a piece of potato with a chopstick to check if it’s cooked through. Once all ingredients are tender and cooked, your warm and delicious potato sujebi is complete! Enjoy your meal!
