Guksu-jangguk (noodles in clear broth)

Guksu-jangguk (Institute of Traditional Korean Food)

Guksu-jangguk is a soup of thin wheat noodles in hot broth with garnish. In the olden days, it was habitually served to guests at a birthday gathering or festival. Noodle dishes on birthdays signify hope for a long life. At weddings the long noodles signify a good, long relationship between the bride and groom.

Ingredients

- Broth: 200 g beef (brisket shank), 12 cups water

- Fragrant seasoning: 40 g green onion, 20 g garlic.

- 1/2 ea young pumpkin, 1/4 tsp salt

- 1 ea egg

- 0.1 g shredded red pepper

- 1 tbsp oil

- 300 g noodles (thin noodles), 10 cups boiling water, 1 cup additional boiling water

- 1 tbsp clear soy sauce

- 1/2 tbsp salt

1. Clean the beef. Trim and wash fragrant seasoning. Put the beef and water into the pot, heat for 10 min. on high. When it boils, lower the heat to medium, simmer for 40 min. Add fragrant seasoning and continue to boil for 20 min.

2. Take the beef out from the broth, cut it into 4 cm-long, 1 cm-wide and 0.3 cm-thick pieces. Filter the broth through cotton cloths.

3. Cut the young pumpkin into 5 cm-long pieces, cut them round, shred 0.4 cm-wide/thick (77 g), marinate with salt for 10 min. Wipe water with cotton cloths.

4. Panfry egg for yellow/white garnish, shred it 4 cm-long, 0.2 cm-wide pieces. Cut shredded red pepper into 1 cm-long pieces.

5. Preheat the frying pan and oil, stir-fry shredded young pumpkin for 30 sec. on medium heat, maintaining green color (70 g).

6. Pour water into the pot, heat for 9 min. on high heat. When it boils, add noodles and boil for 1 min. When it boils again, add 1/2 cup of water, wait for 1 min. When it boils again, add 1/2 cup of water again and boil for 30 sec.

7. Rinse the noodles in water, make coils with the noodles, drain water in a strainer.

8. Pour the broth into the pot, heat for 5 min. on high. When it boils, season with diluted clear soy sauce and salt, bring it to a boil to make clear broth.

9. Place the noodles in a bowl, add the broth and garnish with beef, young pumpkin, egg and shredded red pepper.

Tips
- Before placing noodles in a bowl, dip the noodles once in the broth.

- Fried beef and/or toasted laver may be recommendable for tasteful garnish.

(Adapted from the Institute of Traditional Korean Food)