Ganjang Guksu: Quick & Savory Korean Cold Noodles with Egg Yolk
For the Japanese edition, click here: https://note.com/picayuneplace/n/n1b1d2580d700
Hello, everyone! It’s me, Roger the Donkey, and I love noodles.
The other day, while watching videos, I came across a young Korean guy named Hyeonsu (you only hear his voice) introducing a dish he called "the absolute easiest dish in Korean cuisine"—Ganjang Guksu (soy sauce cold noodles).
Out of all the somen noodle recipe videos out there, this one caught my attention for some reason. I gave it a try the very next day, and goodness, it was delicious!
I ended up eating it for lunch three days in a row.
Even for a noodle lover like me, that’s a first!
Ganjang Guksu (Soy Sauce Noodles) Recipe
Ingredients & Prep
Somen noodles: 50g (or 100g if you’re extra hungry)
Toasted nori (seaweed): Quickly flash-toast both sides a few times over an open toaster oven, then tear into pieces
Egg yolk: 1
Sauce
Soy sauce: 3 tsp
Sesame oil: 2 tsp
Sugar: 1 tsp
Grated garlic: 1 tsp (finely grated into a soft paste works best)
Toasted white sesame seeds: Generous amount
Instructions
In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, sugar, and white sesame seeds until well combined.
Boil the somen noodles, drain, rinse in cold water to chill, and shake off all excess water thoroughly.
Pour the sauce over the somen noodles. Scatter the toasted nori on top, add the egg yolk, and mix everything well before eating.
A Word from Roger
The familiar combination of soy sauce and sugar paired with aromatic sesame oil, complemented further by the deep aroma of garlic. The subtle, zesty kick of the raw garlic adds a fresh touch, while the egg yolk coats everything to add a rich depth.
I was genuinely surprised that noodles could taste this good without using any dashi or prepared mentsuyu broth!
On the second day, I topped it with a tiny bit of pickled onions I had received as a gift. The refreshing acidity added extra dimension to the dish, making it even more delicious.
Still, I think the real charm of this dish lies in making it quickly with whatever you already have on hand (arumonde), so it's best to keep variations like that as just an optional idea.
Egg Alternatives
On the third day, I ran an experiment for those in our group who can't eat raw eggs.
I prepared two variations: one with no egg at all, and one with silken tofu as a substitute.
Everyone said they could eat these versions just fine and that they were plenty delicious.
We also have friends who are vegan come over to visit sometimes. We talked about how, when we eat together, it would be fun to serve the somen with just the sauce, and let everyone choose egg, tofu, or no topping at all, mixing it all up themselves.
As for me, I still prefer it with the egg. It makes the sauce glossy and coats the noodles with a fantastic texture.
So, for our friends who aren't fond of raw eggs, I’ve been thinking: how about a poached egg? If I serve it with a soft poached yolk that can still be mixed throughout the noodles as a creamy sauce, that might work nicely.
I was planning to test that out on the fourth day.
However, everyone said, "Let's go eat grilled cheese sandwiches at the Wisconsin specialty shop today!" so my streak of eating the exact same lunch every day came to an end. Next time!
(Told by Roger)
For the Japanese edition, click here:
