Kongguksu (콩국수)

Kongguksu is the cooling antidote to the Korean summer — silky wheat noodles submerged in a creamy, nutty cold soybean broth that requires no cooking beyond soaking and blending. It is a dish of extraordinary simplicity beloved in Seoul and the Korean countryside alike, served from late June through August when soybeans are at their peak.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 300g (10.5 oz) dried white soybeans
• 400g (14 oz) somyeon (thin wheat noodles)
• 1 tsp (5g) salt, plus extra to taste
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp pine nuts (optional)
• 1 small cucumber, julienned, to serve
• Ice cubes to serve
• 1.2 litres (5 cups) cold water for blending

Instructions

1. Rinse soybeans and soak in cold water overnight (at least 8 hours). Drain.
2. Blanch soaked soybeans in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain, then rub between your palms in cold water and peel off the skins — this prevents bitterness in the broth.
3. Blend peeled soybeans with 1.2 litres cold water until completely smooth, about 2–3 minutes in a high-speed blender. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, pressing to extract maximum liquid. Season with salt. Refrigerate until very cold, at least 1 hour.
4. Cook noodles 2–3 minutes until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold running water; drain well.
5. Divide noodles into four deep bowls. Pour the cold soybean broth generously over the noodles. Top with cucumber, a pinch of sesame seeds, and a few pine nuts. Add ice cubes if desired and serve immediately.

Cook's Notes: The soybean milk should be as cold as possible — chill it in the freezer for 20 minutes before serving. Black soybeans give a striking purple-grey broth and a slightly earthier flavour worth trying. Avoid skipping the skin-removal step.