Refreshing Kimchi Mari Guksu (Cold Noodles in Kimchi Broth)
A summer noodle delicacy featuring chewy thin noodles served in icy, slushy kimchi broth mixed with anchovy broth.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
Strain kimchi juice through a fine sieve, combine it with anchovy broth, and freeze until a thin layer of slushy ice forms. Quickly boil ultra-thin wheat noodles (semyeon) and rinse them in ice water to lock in their springy texture, then top with refreshing broth and garnishes for a delightful summer meal in a bowl.
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Cook time
- 2 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Steps
First, you need to make the broth. I am going to make a cold kimchi soup using kimchi juice.
I happened to have well-fermented kimchi on hand, so I mixed 150 ml (about 1 paper cup) of kimchi juice with 300 ml (2 cups) of anchovy broth. To make the kimchi juice clean, I strained the seasonings thoroughly through a fine sieve. It filtered out nice and clear, right?
You can adjust the ratio of kimchi juice and broth to your liking.
If you do not have anchovy broth, you can use cold water. For how to make anchovy broth, refer to http://blog.naver.com/ppunwife/140039216052.
For seasoning, add 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp corn syrup (mulyeot) or sugar, and 1 tsp salt, stirring to dissolve.
Taste it, and if it is bland or you want it more tangy and sweet, add more ingredients.
If your kimchi juice is very sour, reduce the vinegar and add extra sugar to balance it.
You need to keep the prepared kimchi broth in the freezer for about 2 to 3 hours.
If you plan to eat it for lunch, make it in the morning and place it in the freezer.
Rather than floating ice cubes in it, this keeps the seasoning intact without watering it down, and the slushy ice will keep it delightfully cool.
These are the toppings to go over the noodles: julienned cucumber, egg garnish (jidan), sliced kimchi, green onion, chili pepper... That is about it. It is delicious even with just kimchi and cucumber.
Can you see this? It is not ordinary somyeon, but semyeon...
I recently discovered semyeon (ultra-thin wheat noodles). Because it is thinner than somyeon, it only needs to boil for 2 minutes, and it is as thin and chewy as the noodles in bibim naengmyeon, so it is truly delicious.
From now on, I plan to rely on semyeon for all my summer noodle dishes.
Add the noodles when the water boils, and once it comes back to a boil, cook for about 2 minutes.
Rinse the boiled noodles in cold water, and give them a final rinse in ice water before draining thoroughly.
They turn out really chewy.
Here is the kimchi broth with a slushy layer of ice from the freezer.
After about 2 hours and 30 minutes, it reaches this state.
Place the noodles in a bowl, pour in the broth, arrange the toppings, and drizzle with toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds to finish! Ah, I want to eat it again. My husband would probably say I always make delicious food just for myself when I'm home alone. I really do eat well even when I'm on my own.
Ppunwife's tips
- Instead of floating ice cubes directly in the broth, freezing the kimchi broth itself until slushy prevents the flavor from getting watered down and keeps it ice-cold.
- If using very sour kimchi juice, reduce the amount of vinegar and increase the sugar to balance the acidity.
FAQ
What should I do if I don't have anchovy broth?
You can easily complete the broth by using cold drinking water instead of anchovy broth.
How do I balance the broth if the kimchi is very sour?
If you are using heavily fermented sour kimchi juice, reduce the vinegar and add more sugar to balance the tartness.
Why shouldn't I just add ice cubes directly into the broth?
Floating ice cubes in the soup can dilute the flavor as they melt, so it is better to place the broth in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours beforehand to form a light slush.
Can I use regular somyeon instead of semyeon? AI-generated
You can also use standard thin wheat noodles (somyeon) or medium wheat noodles (jungmyeon); simply extend the boiling time slightly depending on the thickness of the noodles.
