Nakji Kalguksu (Noodle Soup with Octopus)
A 2-serving noodle soup made by gently simmering cleaned small octopus in anchovy broth for a chewy, refreshing bite.
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 →
This 2-serving knife-cut noodle soup features small octopus and vegetables simmered in clear, refreshing anchovy broth. Pre-boiling the noodles in a separate pot of boiling water keeps the broth clean without any starchiness. Since octopus becomes tough when overcooked, add it at the very end and cook it only briefly.
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Small octopus (nakji)2 small (small)
- Carrot1/3
- Enoki mushrooms1 pack
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalks
- Knife-cut wheat noodles (kalguksu)2 servings
- Anchovy broth5 cups
Seasoning
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Salta little
- Cut the head of the octopus open with kitchen shears, turn it inside out, and snip where the innards meet the flesh to remove them. Cut away both eyes and the beak as well.
- Add 2 to 3 tbsp of salt or flour per octopus and scrub vigorously like washing laundry to remove mud and slime, then run your fingers down the suckers and rinse under running water.
- You can also make this with spring webfoot octopus instead of small octopus.
Steps
1. Cut the head of the octopus with kitchen shears...
2. Turn it inside out to expose the innards. Pull the innards by hand and cut the boundary between the flesh and the innards with kitchen shears to remove them.
Remove both eyes and the beak from the octopus as well.
When using live octopus, it is sometimes added with the innards intact to hot pots or stews.
3. Add 2 to 3 tbsp of salt or flour per octopus, scrub vigorously as if doing laundry to remove the mud and slippery slime clinging to the octopus, and then firmly run your fingers down the suckers.
4. Rinse the octopus under running water while rubbing it, then cut it into bite-size pieces.
5. Along with the octopus, julienne the carrot and large green onion, and separate the enoki mushrooms into small clusters.
6. Add the parboiled knife-cut noodles and carrot to the anchovy broth and bring to a boil.
First boiling the noodles in a separate pot of vigorously boiling water to rinse away the excess flour gives you a clean noodle broth.
Anchovy broth recipe is here ⇒ http://blog.naver.com/ppunwife/140090439314
7. Once the noodles are cooked through, add the minced garlic, soup soy sauce, small octopus, enoki mushrooms, and large green onion, and simmer just a little longer.
Simmer only briefly, because the octopus will become tough if cooked too long.
8. If it tastes bland, season with salt and remove from the heat.
Ppunwife's tips
- First boiling the noodles in a separate pot of vigorously boiling water to rinse away the excess flour gives you a clean noodle broth.
- Simmer only briefly, because the octopus will become tough if cooked too long.
FAQ
Is there a secret to making the broth clear and not starchy?
First boiling the knife-cut noodles in a separate pot of boiling water to rinse off the surface flour before adding them to the anchovy broth keeps the broth light and clean.
How do I cook the octopus so it stays tender and not tough?
Add the octopus only after the noodles are fully cooked and simmer it briefly to maintain its tender, chewy texture without turning tough.
Can I use other seafood instead of small octopus?
In-season spring webfoot octopus makes a great substitute for small octopus in this dish.
How do I wash away impurities and slime from the octopus?
Add 2 to 3 tbsp of salt or flour per 1 octopus, scrub it like washing laundry, stroke down the suckers, and rinse under running water to remove mud and slime.
