Kongguksu (Chilled Soy Milk Noodle Soup)
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Resting time
6 hrs
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
4
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Korean
Kongguksu (Chilled Soy Milk Noodle Soup)
Description
Kongguksu (Chilled Soy Milk Noodle Soup) involves soaking and briefly boiling dried soybeans before mechanically separating and blending them with roasted pine nuts and sesame seeds to create a silky soy milk base. The soy milk is thoroughly strained for a smooth texture, lightly salted, and chilled. Thin wheat somen noodles are cooked, rinsed, and served submerged in this creamy, cold soy milk soup. The julienned cucumber and optional sliced tomatoes or watermelon add refreshing texture and mild flavor contrasts, making the dish light yet satisfying.
The broth exhibits a gentle nuttiness from the pine nuts and sesame seeds combined with the subtle soy flavor. The process of skinning the soybeans improves smoothness in the milk, while blending and straining help achieve a consistent, creamy finish without graininess. Served cold, the noodles provide a delicate chewy texture against the cool, velvety broth.
Kongguksu is well suited for warm weather or when a light cold soup is desired. It can be garnished with additional roasted sesame seeds for extra taste and texture. The soy milk base works best fresh but can be refrigerated for a few days. This recipe relies on careful preparation of the soy milk to produce the characteristic smooth and creamy soup.
Ingredients
- 1 cup soybeans meju kong, dried
- 4 tablespoons pine nuts or any other nuts of your choosing, roasted
- 2 teaspoons sesame seed more for garnish, roasted
- salt to taste
- 1 kirby cucumber pickling cucumber, julienned, small
- 1 tomato sliced (or watermelon) - optional, small
- somen noodles thin wheat flour noodles - about 4 ounces per serving, aka somyeon
Instructions
- Rinse and soak 1 cup dried soybeans for 5 to 6 hours or overnight. (Yields about 2 to 2 1/4 cups soaked beans.)
- Add enough water to cover the beans, bring to a boil and cook for an additional 3 – 4 minutes. (Do not overcook.) Drain and place the beans in cold water to cool. Rub the beans with your fingers to remove the skins. Pour out the skins that rise to the top. Add more water. Repeat this process to remove as much as possible.
- In a blender, puree 1/2 of the cooked beans, 2 tablespoons of nuts, and a teaspoon of sesame seeds, if using, in about 2 cups of cold water as fine as you can. (The finer it is, the creamier the result will be.) Repeat with the remaining beans. Add water (no more than a cup) to adjust the thickness of the liquid.
- Run the puree through a fine strainer for a smooth milk-like texture, stirring with a spoon to force it through. (This step is optional.)
- Lightly salt to taste. Stir well. Refrigerate to chill.
- 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. Drain again and rinse in icy cold water. Make serving size mounds. Place the mounds in a colander to drain.
- Stir up the solids settled on the bottom of the soy milk and pour over the noodles in a serving bowl. Garnish with the julienned cucumbers, tomato pieces and/or sesame seeds. Drop in a few ice cubes and serve very cold.
Notes
- Leftover soy milk should be refrigerated and consumed within 3 to 4 days.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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