Korean Clear Noodle Soup (Anchovy Broth Somyeon)

Quick answer

Total time: 30 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Mul guksu is a Korean noodle soup where thin somyeon noodles sit in a clear anchovy-kelp broth, served warm or chilled as a refreshing summer meal.

The broth is made by simmering dried anchovies with heads and innards removed, along with kelp, green onion, and garlic, for about fifteen minutes over medium heat. Briefly dry-toasting the anchovies in a pan before boiling reduces any fishiness and adds a subtle nuttiness to the base. Seasoning with salt and chilling the broth before serving heightens the clean, cooling quality that makes this soup appealing in hot weather. Somyeon noodles are boiled and rinsed several times in cold water to strip away surface starch, which keeps the strands translucent, separate, and satisfyingly bouncy rather than clumped and gluey. The chilled broth poured over the rinsed noodles stays clear and light, not clouded by starch. Dried seaweed flakes and sesame seeds add a briny nuttiness, sliced green onion provides a sharp aromatic contrast against the mild broth, and a drizzle of sesame oil rounds everything off. This soup is equally good served warm with a hot broth or cold with an iced one, and works as a light lunch that satisfies without weighing down.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

somyeon noodles200 gg

dried anchovies30 gg

kelp10 gg

green onion1 stalkstalk

dried seaweed flakes2 tbsptbsp

sesame seeds1 tbsptbsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Control

Remove the heads and innards from 30 g dried anchovies.

Toast them in a dry pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes, just until nutty and fragrant, which helps reduce fishiness before simmering.
2

Control

Put the toasted anchovies, 10 g kelp, and part of the green onion in water.

Simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes, skimming foam as it appears so the broth stays clean and clear.
3

Season

Strain out the broth ingredients and season the liquid with salt.

For a cold serving, let it cool briefly at room temperature, then chill it well in the refrigerator so the flavor stays refreshing.
4

Heat

Cook 200 g somyeon in rapidly boiling water, stirring soon after adding so the strands do not stick.

Drain as soon as the noodles look slightly translucent and feel springy, before they turn soft.
5

Heat

Rinse the cooked noodles several times in cold water, rubbing them gently between your hands to remove surface starch.

When the rinse water runs clearer, drain well so the broth will not become cloudy.
6

Finish

Place the drained noodles in bowls and pour over either chilled or warm broth.

Finish with 2 tbsp dried seaweed flakes, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, and the remaining sliced green onion just before serving.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Refreshing Korean wheat noodles served in a clear, dry-toasted anchovy and kelp broth.
Finish cue: Drain as soon as the noodles look slightly translucent and feel springy, before they turn soft.
Avoid this: Cook 200 g somyeon in rapidly boiling water, stirring soon after adding so the strands do not stick.
Storage and reheating: For a cold serving, let it cool briefly at room temperature, then chill it well in the refrigerator so the flavor stays refreshing.