Janchi guksu is a traditional Korean noodle soup built on a delicate broth of dried anchovies, kelp, and bonito flakes, served with thin somyeon noodles and customizable toppings. Its defining trait is the light, umami-rich broth that belies its simple ingredient list, making it both an elegant banquet dish and accessible home cook recipe.
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Place dried anchovies, kelp, and bonito flakes into a disposable paper pouch or directly into a pot with water.
Bring the broth to a boil with the lid open to prevent a strong fishy scent.
Add shiitake mushrooms, garlic, and scallions as the second broth base and continue to simmer.
Season the broth to taste with soy sauce and other seasonings.
Remove the aromatics and strain the broth.
In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and gently add the somyeon noodles.
Cook somyeon noodles for 6-7 minutes, stirring gently. Do not add salt or oil.
Gently rinse the cooked noodles in cold water and drain.
Place the noodles into serving bowls and ladle the hot broth over them.
Add desired toppings such as fried egg, zucchini, kimchi, or roasted seaweed.
Serve immediately with optional soy-based dipping sauce on the side.
Store cooled broth separately from cooked noodles in airtight containers for up to 3 days refrigerated. Reheat broth gently on the stovetop; do not microwave noodles as they will become mushy.
Somyeon are thin white wheat noodles traditional to this dish. You can substitute with angel hair pasta or thin ramen noodles, though texture and flavor will differ slightly.
Keep the lid off while boiling the dried anchovies, kelp, and bonito flakes. This allows the strong scent to escape rather than concentrate in the pot.
Yes. Prepare the broth up to step 5 (after straining), cool completely, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving with freshly cooked noodles.
Rinsing stops the cooking process, removes excess starch, and prevents the noodles from clumping together, resulting in a better texture in the final bowl.
Traditional toppings include fried egg, zucchini, kimchi, and roasted seaweed. Sliced cucumber, sesame seeds, and thin carrot strips are also common additions.
