Festive Banquet Noodles (Janchi Guksu): A Simple and Hearty Meal
Easy Homemade Janchi Guksu Recipe: Perfect Soaking Noodles and Flavorful Seasoning Sauce
Janchi Guksu, or ‘banquet noodles,’ is a dish that never gets old, and its affordable price makes it a staple for grocery trips. This recipe features a style where toppings are added separately to the broth, rather than boiling everything together. Since the broth isn’t seasoned directly, we’ll add a separate, delicious seasoning sauce – because the sauce is key to great Janchi Guksu! Feel free to substitute the toppings with any vegetables you have on hand.
Noodle Soup Ingredients- 2 servings of somen noodles
- 1 egg
- 1/3 zucchini
- A pinch of carrot
- 1.2L anchovy-kelp broth
Seasoning Sauce Ingredients- 1 chili pepper (e.g., Cheongyang pepper)
- 1/2 green onion
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (jin ganjang)
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1/3 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp ground sesame seeds
- 1 chili pepper (e.g., Cheongyang pepper)
- 1/2 green onion
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (jin ganjang)
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1/3 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp ground sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s make a flavorful anchovy and kelp broth. Place dried anchovies in a dry pan and toast over low heat to remove any fishy odor. In a pot with 1.4L of water, add the toasted anchovies and kelp, then bring to a boil over high heat. To end up with 1.2L of broth, you’ll need to start with about 200ml more water as it will reduce during simmering. Once the broth has simmered, remove the kelp first, let it boil for another 5 minutes, then remove the anchovies. You’ll have a clear and savory broth.
Step 2
Julienne the zucchini and carrot. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the julienned vegetables and let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out moisture. After 10 minutes, squeeze out the excess water from the vegetables and lightly sauté them in a pan. This will give the toppings a pleasant texture.
Step 3
Separate the egg yolk and white. Pan-fry each separately into thin omelets (jidan). Once cooled slightly, julienne the egg yolks and whites to create colorful and appealing toppings.
Step 4
Finely chop the chili pepper and green onion. Place the chopped ingredients into a bowl to prepare the seasoning sauce.
Step 5
Add 0.5 Tbsp of minced garlic, 1 Tbsp of red pepper flakes, and 1/3 cup of soy sauce to the bowl with the chopped chili pepper and green onion.
Step 6
Mix in 1/3 Tbsp of sugar, 1 Tbsp of sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp of ground sesame seeds. Stir everything well until thoroughly combined to create your delicious seasoning sauce.
Step 7
Now that the toppings and seasoning sauce are ready, it’s time to cook the somen noodles. This is the perfect moment to prepare the noodles for your festive banquet noodles.
Step 8
Fill a large, deep pot with plenty of water and bring it to a rolling boil. (Using a large pot helps prevent the water from boiling over). Once the water is boiling, gently spread the somen noodles into the pot and stir immediately to prevent sticking. When the water comes to a boil again and forms foam, add half a cup of cold water. As it re-boils and foams again, add the remaining half cup of cold water. This process helps the noodles cook evenly and achieve a chewy texture. Cook the noodles for about 3 minutes and 30 seconds to 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Drain the cooked noodles in a colander and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water, rubbing them gently. This removes excess starch, ensuring the noodles stay firm and don’t become mushy.
Step 9
Arrange the perfectly cooked somen noodles in a serving bowl. Artfully place the prepared toppings – sautéed zucchini, carrots, and egg jidan – on top of the noodles. You can also add shredded seasoned seaweed (gim) if you like. Finish by sprinkling some ground sesame seeds over everything. Pour the warm anchovy-kelp broth into the bowl, and your delicious Janchi Guksu is complete! Serve with the prepared seasoning sauce on the side to adjust the flavor to your liking.
