Fragrant and Refreshing Clam Noodles with Gardenia Pasta
Spring Delight! The Perfect Harmony of Fresh Clams and Fragrant Gardenia Noodles in Clam Noodle Soup
Hello everyone! Today, I’m excited to share a special noodle soup infused with the beautiful colors of nature. We’ll be making a delicious ‘Clam Noodle Soup with Gardenia Pasta’ using a fragrant broth made from gardenia, which is traditionally used for dyeing fabrics and adds a lovely hue to food. This recipe features chewy pasta made with this gardenia-infused water, combined with the refreshing and savory broth from fresh clams. It’s a perfect, hearty meal for when your appetite is a bit sluggish, offering both incredible taste and health benefits. Get ready to feast your eyes and your taste buds on these beautiful yellow noodles and succulent clams!
Clam Preparation and Purging
- 1kg fresh clams
- 1 liter water for purging clams
- 2 Tbsp coarse salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The clams we’re using today have already undergone an initial purging process, but to ensure they are extra clean and fresh, we’ll go through the purging step once more. Fresh ingredients are the foundation of delicious food!
Step 2
First, place the clams under running water and scrub their shells against each other thoroughly. This is a crucial step to remove any dirt or sand clinging to them. Rinse them about 3-4 times until they are clean.
Step 3
For purging, I recommend using a stainless steel bowl. Place the cleaned clams in the bowl. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of coarse salt in 1 liter of water and pour it over the clams. Adding a piece of metal (like a stainless steel spoon, fork, or butter knife) to the water helps the clams purge sand more effectively as they react to it. (I used a butter knife.)
Step 4
Cover the bowl with a dark-colored plastic bag to create a dark environment. During summer, it’s best to purge them in the refrigerator for about 1-2 hours, away from direct sunlight. This dark environment mimics the clams’ natural habitat, encouraging them to release any sand. After purging, you’ll notice the clams have tightly closed their shells and appear clean.
Step 5
Now, let’s make the special gardenia pasta dough! For the dough, you’ll need 4 cups of flour, 1 dried gardenia fruit, half a teaspoon of fine salt, and 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Sesame oil helps eliminate any raw flour smell, makes the dough chewier, and prevents the cooked noodles from sticking together. If you don’t have sesame oil, other cooking oils like grapeseed or canola oil will work well.
Step 6
Break the dried gardenia fruit in half and steep it in warm water until its color and fragrance have fully infused into the water. Combine the steeped gardenia water with boiling water to make a total of 1.5 cups (about 270ml) of hot liquid, measured using a paper cup. Using hot water for ‘ikbanjuk’ (hot water dough) makes the noodles extra chewy and tender. Isn’t the gentle yellow color beautiful?
Step 7
In a large bowl, combine 4 cups of flour with half a teaspoon of fine salt and 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Gently mix these dry ingredients with your hands first.
Step 8
Gradually add the hot liquid (1.5 cups of combined gardenia and boiling water) to the flour mixture, stirring with a spatula until it forms a rough dough. Be careful as the liquid is hot. Mix until it comes together into a cohesive mass.
Step 9
Once the dough starts to come together, put on a pair of disposable gloves and begin kneading by hand. Knead for about 5-7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, and it no longer sticks excessively to your hands. Thorough kneading is key to developing gluten for a chewy texture.
Step 10
Place the smooth dough into a plastic bag and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. For an even chewier and more flavorful noodle, resting for an hour or even overnight is highly recommended. This resting period allows the gluten to relax and develop further, resulting in a better noodle texture.
Step 11
Prepare the vegetables for the noodle soup. Slice the zucchini thinly into half-moons. Peel the potato and slice it thinly into flat pieces, about 0.3cm thick. Julienne the carrot and onion finely. Slice the green onion and red chili pepper diagonally. The red chili pepper adds a nice touch of color and a hint of spice.
Step 12
Now, let’s make the delicious clam broth. Pour 2 liters of cold water into a pot and add the anchovy-kelp pack. Add all 1kg of the purged clams. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it starts boiling, skim off any foam that rises to the surface to ensure a clear and clean broth.
Step 13
As soon as the clams begin to open, immediately remove them from the pot. Overcooking clams can make them tough and cloud the broth. Set the cooked clams aside. Add all the prepared vegetables (zucchini, potato, carrot, onion) to the clear clam broth and bring back to a boil. (Add green onion and red chili pepper towards the end).
Step 14
Take the rested dough out and place it on a floured cutting board (using potato starch as dusting flour is also good). Roll out the dough thinly with a rolling pin, aiming for about 2mm thickness for the best texture. Fold the thinly rolled dough over itself, and lightly dust with potato starch or flour between the folds to prevent sticking.
Step 15
Cut the folded dough into your desired noodle width. When cutting, try not to bunch the noodles together too much. Gently separate the cut noodles with your hands. You can cut them thinner for a delicate noodle or slightly thicker if you prefer a chewier bite. Experimenting with different thicknesses can be fun!
Step 16
Add the prepared gardenia noodles to a pot of rapidly boiling water. To prevent the noodles from breaking, avoid stirring them immediately after adding them to the pot. Let them cook for 1-2 minutes, then gently stir. The noodles are cooked when they float to the surface (this typically takes about 3-4 minutes).
Step 17
The thickness of the noodles is entirely up to your preference. I cut mine a bit thicker because I enjoy a heartier noodle, but you can certainly slice them thinner for a more delicate texture. Feel free to experiment with various widths!
Step 18
Lightly rinse the cooked noodles in cold water to remove excess starch, then add them to the simmering clam broth. Add the cooked clams back into the pot along with the sliced green onions and red chili peppers. Finally, season with 2 tablespoons of soup soy sauce and a little coarse salt to taste. Adjust the saltiness as needed.
Step 19
Ladle the beautifully prepared Gardenia Clam Noodle Soup into bowls. Garnish generously with shredded seaweed (Gim) and toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy this healthy and delicious noodle soup featuring the vibrant yellow noodles and the refreshing clam broth! For an extra kick, you can also serve it with the optional seasoning sauce.
