Korean Red Bean Noodle Soup
Boil 300 g dried red beans in 1 L water for 10 minutes and discard that first water, then simmer in 1.2 L fresh water for about 30 minutes, until a bean crushes easily between the fingers. Blend, strain, and thicken the liquid with 3 tbsp glutinous rice flour dissolved in a little water, then season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp sugar. Cook 600 g fresh kalguksu noodles in a separate pot for 4 to 5 minutes and rinse off the starch so the broth stays smooth.
Quick answer
- Total time
- 65 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Thick red bean broth, salted first and only lightly sweetened, turns knife-cut wheat noodles into a filling winter meal rather than a dessert.
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The beans are boiled twice, with the first water thrown out entirely, which strips their astringent edge and gives the broth a cleaner color. Glutinous rice flour thickens the strained puree just enough to hold the noodles without turning stodgy, and the pot needs frequent stirring because the bottom scorches easily. Cooking the noodles in a separate pot and rinsing them keeps their starch from thinning or clouding the broth. Chestnuts and pine nuts on top add a firmer bite against the smooth puree.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Rub and rinse 300 g dried red beans until the water runs clearer, then cover with 1 liter water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Boil 10 minutes, discard all the first water, and rinse the beans again.
- 2
Add 1.2 liters fresh water to the rinsed beans and simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes.
Keep the boil gentle so the liquid does not splash, and cook until a bean crushes easily between your fingers.
- 3
Blend the cooked beans with their cooking liquid until as smooth as possible.
Strain the mixture through a sieve, pressing with a spatula to extract enough red bean liquid while leaving coarse skins behind.
- 4
Return the strained red bean liquid to the pot and warm it over medium heat, stirring often.
Dissolve 3 tablespoons glutinous rice flour in a little water first, then add it while stirring so the bottom does not scorch.
- 5
When the broth thickens, season with 1.5 teaspoons salt and 2 tablespoons sugar.
Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring steadily, until the nuttiness and gentle sweetness taste balanced and the texture stays pourable.
- 6
Cook 600 g fresh kalguksu noodles in a separate pot for 4-5 minutes, then rinse off excess starch so the broth stays smooth.
Divide into bowls, pour over the hot red bean broth, and top with cooked chestnuts and pine nuts.
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