Soy Sauce Fish Cake Noodles
A Hearty and Comforting Twist on Janchi-guksu for a Cold Winter Day: Enjoying Soy Sauce Fish Cake Noodles during Solo Living
A recipe for delicious Janchi-guksu-style noodles with fish cakes, made simply with store-bought soy sauce broth base instead of traditional anchovy broth. Perfect for a quick and satisfying meal!
Main Ingredients- Somen noodles: 1 serving (about a handful)
- Zucchini: 1/3 medium
- Green onion: 1/3 stalk (about finger-length)
- Carrot: 1/8 medium
- Kelp (Dashima): 2 pieces
Seasoning & Broth- Black pepper: 2 pinches
- Store-bought noodle soup base (Katsuobushi flavor): 7 tablespoons
- Water: 1.5 liters
- Black pepper: 2 pinches
- Store-bought noodle soup base (Katsuobushi flavor): 7 tablespoons
- Water: 1.5 liters
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Instead of making anchovy broth from scratch, we’ll be using a convenient store-bought noodle soup base for this recipe. You can use any brand you like, but I personally prefer one with a Katsuobushi (bonito flake) flavor for its rich umami. Feel free to choose your favorite!
Step 2
Start by bringing 1.5 liters of water to a boil in a pot. Tip: If your pot is too small, the ingredients might overflow later. It’s best to use a large pot or pan from the beginning.
Step 3
Once the water is boiling, add 7 tablespoons of the store-bought noodle soup base and stir well. This simple step creates a flavorful foundation for your broth.
Step 4
In the same pot (or a separate one if your first pot is small), add 2 pieces of kelp (dashima) to the boiling water.
Step 5
For an even deeper flavor, you can soak the kelp in cold water for 20-30 minutes beforehand to extract more umami before bringing it to a boil.
Step 6
As soon as the broth starts boiling, remove and discard the kelp. Be careful not to overcook the kelp, as it can release a bitter taste.
Step 7
While the broth is simmering, julienne the zucchini and carrot into thin strips. Slice the green onion diagonally. These vegetables will add color and texture to your noodle soup.
Step 8
Prepare your fish cakes. I’m using ‘Goraesa’ brand fish cakes today, but any type will work well.
Step 9
Fish cake preparation tip: For round, long fish cakes, you can skewer them with a bamboo stick for a decorative touch. For square fish cakes, slice them thinly into strips, similar to noodles. This way, you can easily pick up both noodles and fish cake together, and it looks visually appealing.
Step 10
Now it’s time to cook the noodles. For one serving, prepare about a handful (around 100g) of somen noodles. (I accidentally made more than intended, so this amount is closer to two servings.)
Step 11
Add the somen noodles to the boiling broth and cook. Tip: To prevent the noodles from sticking together, make sure to use a wide enough pot. Stirring them occasionally while cooking helps maintain their texture.
Step 12
While the noodles are cooking, take out the kelp that was in the broth and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Step 13
For extra springy noodles, use chopsticks to lift and lower the noodles repeatedly as they cook. This technique helps create a perfectly chewy texture.
Step 14
Once the noodles are almost cooked, add the julienned zucchini, carrots, and diagonally sliced green onions to the pot. If you like a bit of heat, you can add chili peppers or chili seeds at this stage.
Step 15
When the vegetables appear slightly tender, add the sliced square fish cakes. Fish cakes can become mushy if overcooked, so add them at the right time.
Step 16
Finally, add the round fish cakes (skewered if you chose to) and sprinkle with a couple of pinches of black pepper for added aroma and flavor.
Step 17
Add the kelp strips you prepared earlier and let everything simmer together for another moment.
Step 18
Give it a final boil to ensure the noodles, vegetables, and fish cakes are cooked to your liking and the flavors have melded together beautifully.
Step 19
Serve your delicious Soy Sauce Fish Cake Noodles in a nice bowl. Enjoy this warm and satisfying meal!
