Janchi Guksu (Korean Warm Noodle Soup)

This is the first time I tried cooking Japanese somen, a fine thin wheat noodle that resembles our Chinese mee sua. But the texture of the Japanese somen tasted so much better than the latter! The somen is less starchy and remained 'al dente' if left at room temperature. 

We really enjoy this bowl of light tasty somen soup! The broth is made with simple ingredients like radish, anchovies, kelp, onion, garlic and spring onion which required only 25 mins of simmering. To keep this noodle dish on the lighter side, the accomplishment like zucchini, carrots, shimeiji mushroom and chicken meat are all lightly seasoned and pan fried. Some may find it too bland for their taste bud. If you like kimchi, serve it at the side which will helps to perk up the taste of this light refreshing broth.

Recipe ref : koreanbapsang.com
Ingredient

• 2 x 90gm Hakubaku Organic Somen
• 150gm white radish, cut into cubes
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 stalk spring onion, white section
• 10 pcs large dried anchovies
• 1 3" dried kelp
• 8 cups water 
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce

Toppings

• 200gm zucchini, julienned
• 150gm carrot, julienned 
• 2 eggs, fried into thin sheet, julienned
• 150gm chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• 200gm shimeiji mushroom
• 2 spring onion, green section, chopped

Sauce (mix well)

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp Korean chilli pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 spring onion, chopped

Method

1. Soak dried kelp in a pot of water for 30mins. Add anchovies, radish, onion, garlic and spring onion into the pot with the kelp. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil for 15 mins. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste and simmer for another 10 mins over medium heat. Discard all the solid ingredients from the broth. 
2. Season chicken with 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp sugar and pinch of pepper. Set aside while preparing the vegetables.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan, saute zucchini over medium heat for 1 min. Add garlic powder, salt and sesame oil to taste. Set aside. In the same pan, sautéed carrots for 2 mins, add garlic powder and sesame oil to taste. Remove and set aside. 
4. Add more oil and saute shimeiji mushroom till fragrant. Add garlic powder and salt to taste. Set aside. Lastly fry the chicken strips for 3 min till cook.
5. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add somen noodles and cook for 2 mins. Drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to somen and place into individual serving bowls.
6. Reheat broth till hot. Ladle in hot broth over the noodles. Arrange each topping on top of the noodle. Garnish with chopped spring onion and serve with sauce at the side.