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Janchi Guksu (Korean Warm Noodle Soup)
4.8 from 84 votes

Janchi Guksu (Korean Warm Noodle Soup)

Janchi Guksu is a warm Korean noodle soup made with somyeon noodles in a clear anchovy broth, balanced with lightly sautéed seasonal vegetables and thin egg ribbons. The broth is seasoned simply with soy sauce and salt to maintain a light but savory character. This comforting soup features optional toppings like marinated beef, kimchi, and seaweed for added texture and flavor, adaptable to taste and available ingredients.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 2
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces somyeon somen noodles
Broth:
  • 5 cups anchovy broth or beef, chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 or 2 tablespoons soy sauce Do not make the broth too dark, or soup soy sauce
  • salt Season lightly if using the optional sauce, to taste
Toppings (see note):
  • 1/2 zucchini about 3 ounces, julienned
  • 1 carrot 3 ounces, julienned, small
  • 3 mushroom caps
  • 1 egg
Optional toppings
  • 3 ounces beef tender, cut into thin strips, seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, minced garlic, and black pepper
  • 3 ounces kimchi thinly sliced, mixed with sesame oil and sugar
  • roasted dried seaweed 1/4 sheet gim, cut into short strips or crushed
  • 1/2 scallion green part, chopped
Yangnyeomjang (sauce) - Optional:
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Korean chili pepper flakes gochugaru
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic
  • 1 scallion finely chopped
  • Mix all sauce ingredients well and set aside.

Instructions

Broth
    Cup of Yum
  1. Prepare anchovy broth (or your choice of broth), and season with the soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Keep it hot over low heat while preparing the toppings and noodles.
Toppings
  1. Lightly sprinkle salt over julienned zucchini and set aside for 5 - 10 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid from salted zucchini by hand. Sauté in a lightly oiled skillet over medium high heat (1 - 2 minutes). Push the zucchini to a side and sauté the julienned carrots and mushrooms over medium high heat (1- 2 minutes), sprinkling salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Beat the egg well, and fry into a thin sheet (jidan). Roll it up and thinly slice. Alternatively, you can drizzle the beaten egg in to the hot broth before ladling it over the noodles.
Optional toppings
  1. Beef: Sauté the beef for 2 - 3 minutes over medium high heat.
  2. Kimchi: Thinly slice with the kimchi, and mix with 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil, and 1/4 teaspoon of sugar.
Noodles
  1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook somyeon noodles according to the package instructions (about 3 minutes). Drain quickly and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Continue to drain and rinse in cold water. Make two one-serving size mounds as you remove from the water. Place the mounds in a colander to drain.
  2. Place the noodles in serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles to cover all the noodles, and pour it back to the pot by holding the noodles with the ladle. This will warm the noodles. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles again. Nicely arrange a small amount of each topping on top of the noodles. Finish the dish off with a sprinkle of the optional chopped scallions. Serve warm with the optional sauce on the side.

Notes

  • This recipe presents four main toppings; you can use any combination or quantity based on preference.