Refreshing Hobak Kalguksu (Noodle Soup with Zucchini)
A bowl of knife-cut noodle soup simmered in rich anchovy broth with shredded zucchini and clam meat for a clean, refreshing taste.
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 →
A 2-serving soup dish featuring sweet shredded squash and tender hard clam meat simmered in rich anchovy broth. Parboiling the noodles first in boiling water before adding them to the broth keeps the soup clean and clear. You can season simply with salt for a light, clean flavor or serve with a spicy seasoned sauce to taste.
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Dried kalguksu noodles250 g
- Squash1/2
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalks
- Hard clam2
- Anchovy broth6 cups
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Salt0.5 tsp
Seasoning sauce
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)2 tbsp
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1.5 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tsp
- Minced green onion1 tsp
- Minced Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)1 tsp
- Minced red chili pepper0.5 tsp
- Sugar0.5 tsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tsp
- Ground toasted sesame seeds1 tsp
- You can use Manila clam meat or shrimp instead of hard clam.
- Dried kalguksu noodles are not quite as chewy as fresh noodles, but they are inexpensive and store well, which makes them very convenient.
Steps
1. Julienne the squash, and slice half a large green onion (daepa) diagonally. Shuck the hard clam meat and cut it into large pieces.
You can use Manila clam meat or shrimp instead of hard clam.
2. Here are dried kalguksu noodles. We always keep them in our pantry.
They are not quite as chewy as fresh noodles, but they are inexpensive and keep well, which I really like.
3. Add the noodles to boiling water and cook them. Because they are thicker and wider than regular thin wheat noodles (somyeon), they take much longer to boil.
The package directions said to cook them for 10 minutes.
I boiled them for only 5 minutes so they were about halfway cooked, since they will finish cooking later in the anchovy broth with the other ingredients.
4. Drain the parboiled noodles in a strainer.
5. Bring 6 cups of anchovy broth to a boil, then add the parboiled noodles, squash, green onion, and clam meat.
Add 1 tbsp minced garlic and 0.5 tsp salt, and bring to a boil.
6. Once the squash turns translucent, it is done.
Ppunwife's tips
- Since the noodles will finish cooking in the anchovy broth with the other ingredients, parboil the dried noodles in boiling water for about 5 minutes until only halfway cooked.
- Because the broth is seasoned with salt, you can enjoy it cleanly as is, or you can skip the salt and make a spicy sauce to mix in.
- Sprinkle a little seasoned seaweed flakes and ground toasted sesame seeds over top before eating.
FAQ
Can I use other seafood instead of hard clam?
Yes, you can use Manila clam meat or shrimp instead of hard clam.
Why boil the kalguksu noodles separately instead of adding them straight to the broth?
This is to cook the dried noodles halfway in boiling water first and drain them before simmering them together with the anchovy broth and other ingredients.
How do I know when the dish is fully cooked?
After adding the noodles and ingredients to the broth, the dish is ready once the sliced squash turns translucent.
Can I use fresh kalguksu noodles instead of dried noodles? AI-generated
You can use fresh noodles, but because they may cook faster than dried ones, it is best to adjust the boiling time accordingly.
