Korean Kimchi Chilled Noodle Soup
Kimchi mari guksu is a Korean chilled noodle soup designed for hot weather. The broth is a simple mixture of aged kimchi juice, cold water, a touch of sugar, and vinegar, stirred together and refrigerated until thoroughly cold. Thin somyeon wheat noodles are boiled, rinsed under cold running water to remove surface starch, and placed in a bowl. Chopped kimchi and julienned cucumber go on top, then the ice-cold broth is poured over. The key to the dish is pre-chilling the broth rather than adding ice cubes, which would dilute the tangy kimchi flavor. Since kimchi fermentation levels vary, the vinegar can be adjusted by half-teaspoon increments to hit the right balance of sour and sweet.
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Instructions
- 1
Chop kimchi finely and julienne the cucumber.
- 2
Mix kimchi juice, cold water, sugar, and vinegar; chill the broth.
- 3
Boil noodles, rinse under cold water, and drain.
- 4
Place noodles in bowls, add kimchi and cucumber, then pour in chilled broth.
- 5
Sprinkle sesame seeds and serve immediately.
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