Fish Cake Noodles (Odeng Janchi Guksu)
Hearty and Warm Fish Cake Noodles: Enjoying Chewy Fish Cakes as Noodles
Hello everyone, it’s Henri’s older sister! Today, I suddenly craved Janchi Guksu (Korean banquet noodles), and what better way to enjoy this warm, comforting dish than by adding fish cakes! When you slice the fish cakes thinly like noodles and enjoy them with the soup, it’s an incredibly delicious and unique experience. Kids absolutely love it! Here’s how to make this delightful dish easily and tastily.
Ingredients- 2 servings of somen noodles
- 1 handful of dried anchovies for broth
- 2 sheets of square fish cakes
- 2 green onions (1 for broth, 1 for garnish)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce for soup (guk-ganjang)
- 1/2 onion
- Kimchi (aged/fermented) to taste
- 1 cheongyang chili pepper
- 2 Tbsp soju (Korean rice wine)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (jin-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- Shredded seasoned seaweed (jomi-gim) to taste
- 2 eggs
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The key to a delicious Janchi Guksu lies in its deep and refreshing broth! For the broth, prepare a handful of dried anchovies, one green onion, and half an onion. To eliminate any fishy or unpleasant odors, add 2 tablespoons of soju. Let everything simmer for about 1 hour to extract a rich flavor.
Step 2
Once the broth starts simmering, a wonderful aroma will fill your kitchen, whetting your appetite. The savory essence from the anchovies and vegetables will be beautifully infused into the soup.
Step 3
To enjoy the fish cakes like noodles, slice them thinly and lengthwise. It’s best to use fish cakes with a higher fish content rather than those with a lot of flour, as they will hold their shape better when cooked and maintain a pleasant chewy texture.
Step 4
Slice your aged kimchi into bite-sized pieces to use as a topping. The tangy and slightly spicy kimchi will add another layer of flavor to your Janchi Guksu.
Step 5
Now, let’s prepare the seasoning paste (or ‘dadaegi’) that will elevate your fish cake Janchi Guksu! Finely chop the remaining green onion and the cheongyang chili pepper. Mix them with jin-ganjang (dark soy sauce), gochugaru (chili powder), sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Stir everything well. (Apologies, the photo for the completed seasoning paste is missing, but follow these ingredients and you’ll have a delicious condiment!)
Step 6
When boiling the somen noodles, as soon as the water reaches a rolling boil, spread the noodles out and carefully place them in the water. Immediately start stirring with chopsticks to prevent them from clumping together – otherwise, they’ll form a sticky clump! To check if the noodles are cooked, bring the water to a boil again after adding a cup of cold water when it’s about to overflow. Then, take out a strand of noodle, rinse it in cold water, and taste it. Tasting is the best way to tell! Make sure to cool it with cold water before tasting.
Step 7
Strain the well-cooked broth to remove all the solid ingredients, leaving a clear soup. Season the clear broth with guk-ganjang (light soy sauce) to your taste. You can add a pinch of salt if needed.
Step 8
Now, add the thinly sliced fish cakes to the seasoned broth.
Step 9
Bring the soup to a rolling boil. You’ll see the fish cakes puff up as they cook. Let it boil thoroughly to ensure the fish cakes are tender and flavorful.
Step 10
In a large bowl, place the cooked somen noodles. Then, artfully arrange the cooked fish cakes on top of the noodles.
Step 11
Finally, garnish with the sliced kimchi, shredded seasoned seaweed, and thin strips of egg omelet. Add a spoonful of the prepared seasoning paste and mix everything together to enjoy. This warm and hearty bowl of Fish Cake Janchi Guksu is truly a delight! ^^
