torsdag den 9. juli 2009

kong guksu and kimchi


finally i got to taste kong guksu (콩국수), a chilled soup made of soy milk which is perfect for hot summer days. unfortunate that the first try has to be my own creation, but i trusted maangchi's recipe. the taste was such a pleasant surprise that i ate it way too fast and ended up with a bit of a greed-induced stomachache. @_@;

there were only two small problems. one was that it was a little too salty... next time i'll cut down on it since i actually enjoy the taste of plain soybeans. also here in the apartment we only have an immersion blender so the soy milk couldn't get as smooth as i wanted but the bits of soybean and nuts at the bottom tasted good too. by the way, this soup seems pretty vegan to me.


the proper noodles for this soup are way too expensive in denmark so i just made some noodles with half hvedemel (all-purpose flour) and half grahamsmel (whole-wheat flour) to make it somewhat healthier.

kal kuksu (homemade noodles) from growing up in a korean kitchen
makes about 1 pound of noodles

2½ cups all-purpose flour (not self-rising)
2 tbsp soybean powder (optional)
pinch of salt
1 cup medium-hot water
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 cups flour, for dusting

the traditional recipe for homemade flour dough (mil panjuk) serves as the starting point for both homemade noodles and dumpling wrappers.

in a large bowl, combine the flour, soybean powder, and salt and mix well. make a well at the center of the flour, then add the water and sesame oil a little at a time. mix into a cornmeal-like consistency and, with both hands, knead on a floured work surface for about 15 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. (in this state, we say it is ik panjuk, "par-cooked" dough, with a firm and supple texture.) place the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel. it is ready to use immediately, but letting it settle for about 1 hour will improve the texture.
divide dough into two portions. using one portion at a time, on a floured work surface roll out the dough with a rolling pin into ⅛-inch-thick sheets. dust the dough with flour often to prevent sticking. fold the dough into fourths, and using a sharp chef's knife, slice into the desired width, which for most recipes is about the width of a strand of linguini. don't worry if the strands are irregular; that's the unmistakable sign of homemade noodles!
fresh noodles take only 3 to 4 minutes to boil. for later use, spread the noodles on a tray to dry, then store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. the noodles will stay fresh for 1 week in the refrigerator and up to 1 month in the freezer.

i just pinched off enough dough to make noodles for myself and rolled the rest into dumpling wrappers. they're now sitting in the freezer, waiting to be made into mandu someday.


and finally i managed to make vegan kimchi! i did it the same way i usually do except for the fish sauce. instead, i boiled a fat konbu leaf in water and added soya to taste. it seems close enough to the original recipe to make me happy and i can continue experimenting. nah, i'm not vegan yet but fish sauce smells atrocious and i'm sure it has boatloads of sodium and things in it. this way is slightly less stinky. ^^;

6 kommentarer:

Anonym sagde ...

You made your own noodles?

mina sagde ...

yups. that's how i roll. 8D

Anonym sagde ...

Beautiful dish. Have you thought of using a cheesecloth or clean dishcloth to filter out the larger particles after you blend? I only have an immersion blender and plan to do it this way when I make it for my mom.

mina sagde ...

thanks! that's a good idea, sprater. i'll try it next time. but i ended up eating all the soybean mush anyway, it was so good. (:

Unknown sagde ...

I need to learn to photograph things the way you do. I'm totally impressed.

Anonym sagde ...

Sorry for my bad english. I would like to get updated with you new posts as I love to read your blog. Add me to your mailing list if you have any.