Janchi guksu is a traditional Korean warm noodle soup featuring delicate somyeon noodles in a light, savory broth topped with sautéed vegetables, seasoned beef, egg, and kimchi. Its appeal lies in its simplicity, balance of fresh toppings, and customizable broth base.
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Prepare anchovy broth (or your choice of broth), and season with the soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Keep it hot over low heat while preparing the toppings and noodles.
Lightly sprinkle salt over julienned zucchini and set aside for 5 - 10 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid from salted zucchini by hand. Sauté in a lightly oiled skillet over medium high heat (1 - 2 minutes). Push the zucchini to a side and sauté the julienned carrots and mushrooms over medium high heat (1- 2 minutes), sprinkling salt and pepper to taste.
Beat the egg well, and fry into a thin sheet (jidan). Roll it up and thinly slice. Alternatively, you can drizzle the beaten egg in to the hot broth before ladling it over the noodles.
Beef: Sauté the beef for 2 - 3 minutes over medium high heat.
Kimchi: Thinly slice with the kimchi, and mix with 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil, and 1/4 teaspoon of sugar.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook somyeon noodles according to the package instructions (about 3 minutes). Drain quickly and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Continue to drain and rinse in cold water. Make two one-serving size mounds as you remove from the water. Place the mounds in a colander to drain.
Place the noodles in serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles to cover all the noodles, and pour it back to the pot by holding the noodles with the ladle. This will warm the noodles. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles again. Nicely arrange a small amount of each topping on top of the noodles. Finish the dish off with a sprinkle of the optional chopped scallions. Serve warm with the optional sauce on the side.
Store leftover broth separately from cooked noodles in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat broth gently over medium heat and cook fresh noodles to order for best texture.
colander · medium pot · skillet
Somyeon are thin wheat flour noodles used in janchi guksu. You can substitute with somen noodles (very similar), thin ramen noodles, or angel hair pasta, though cooking time may vary slightly.
Yes. The recipe explicitly allows beef, chicken, or vegetable broth as alternatives to anchovy broth. The cooking method and seasoning remain the same.
Cold water stops the cooking process immediately, preventing the noodles from becoming mushy and preserving their firm texture. This is essential for janchi guksu.
Yes. Julienne vegetables, season the beef, prepare kimchi, and make the sauce up to a few hours ahead. Cook noodles just before serving and sauté vegetables and beef while the broth heats.
This warming step ensures the cold noodles heat through before serving without overcooking them. It's a technique to achieve the ideal serving temperature.
