Naengbi Guk-su || Korean Noodle Soup, 냄비국수

Naengbi Guk-su is a beloved Korean comfort food, especially popular during the colder months. It’s essentially a hearty noodle soup cooked and served in a pot, making it a warm and satisfying meal.

Key Ingredients:

Noodles: Typically, chewy wheat noodles are used, but other types like rice noodles or sweet potato noodles can also be used.
Broth: A flavorful broth is made from a combination of ingredients like dried anchovies, kelp, and vegetables.
Protein: Sliced beef, pork, or seafood like shrimp or clams can be added.
Vegetables: Common vegetables include spinach, carrots, mushrooms, and onions.
Seasonings: Soy sauce, salt, and pepper are used to season the broth, along with other ingredients like garlic and ginger for extra flavor.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

400g noodles (e.g., wheat noodles)
100g fish cake (e.g., eomuk)
4 pieces fried tofu (yubu)
2 shiitake mushrooms
1 piece bamboo shoot
1 green onion
4 eggs
150g spinach
20g dried bonito flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cooking wine (e.g., mirin)
Salt to taste

Preparation

Prep the ingredients:

Cut the fish cake and fried tofu into bite-sized pieces and blanch them in hot water.
Slice the shiitake mushrooms thinly and cut the bamboo shoot into thin slices.
Blanch the spinach and cut into smaller pieces.
Slice the green onion thinly.

Instructions

Make the broth: Boil water with dried bonito flakes to make a dashi broth. Add soy sauce, sugar, cooking wine, and salt to taste.
Sauté the ingredients: In a separate pan, sauté the shiitake mushrooms, fish cake, and fried tofu in a small amount of the dashi broth and soy sauce until lightly browned.
Cook the noodles: Cook the noodles according to package instructions.
Assemble the dish: Place the cooked noodles in individual serving bowls. Pour the dashi broth over the noodles. Top with the sautéed ingredients, spinach, bamboo shoot, and green onion. Crack one egg into each bowl.
Serve: Bring the bowls to a simmer until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Serve immediately.

Note:

Dashi broth: Dashi is a Japanese flavoring stock made from kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). You can find it in Asian grocery stores or make it at home.
Eomuk: Eomuk is a type of fish cake that is popular in Korean cuisine. It can be found in most Asian grocery stores.
Yubu: Yubu is fried tofu, which adds a chewy texture to the dish.
Cooking wine: Cooking wine, like mirin, adds a sweet and savory flavor to the dish.

Additional Tips:

For a spicier flavor, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the broth.
You can customize the vegetables based on your preference. For example, you can add carrots, zucchini, or other vegetables.
If you don’t have dried bonito flakes, you can use vegetable broth as a base for the soup.

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