K-Dramas have been my jam during Covid. Thank you 🇰🇷 and #netflix. This has brought me back to the wonderful world of noodles and soup. Janchi gusku is a beautiful bowl of South Korean noodles in broth using anchovy or beef stock with Korean wheat noodles.
Craving this, but only having However, ramen on hand, I went with a blend of Korean ramyeon and the Janchi gusku. Since I’m a vegetarian, rather than using their traditional stock, I used a vegan stock.
(Note: while South Korea has Ramen, it is not a traditional food there. It may have started in China and moved to Japan according to Jeeyoung Kim’s research at Emory University.)
Serves 2.
Vegan. Contains Gluten (but you can substitute by using tamari sauce in lieu of soy and gluten free noodles).
Ingredients:
4 cups broth*
2 bunches Greens of your choice (i.e. kale, bok choy, tatsoi), chopped
1 Carrot, shredded
2 Ramen Cakes (Lotus Foods is my go-to brand)
Toasted Sesame Oil (you can use regular oil if you don't have this on hand)
Soy Sauce
1 Scallions, chopped finely (optional)
2 cloves Garlic, minced (optional)
1 tsp Red Chili Flakes (optional)
Directions:
When sauté pan is hot, add sesame oil.
When oil is warm, add scallions. Sauté for a minute or two.
Add garlic and sauté for less than a minute.
Reduce to a low-medium. Add greens. Cover and cook on low for 5 minutes.
Add 1-2 tablespoons (or to taste) of soy sauce.
Cover and cook for another 5 minutes or until greens become tender.
In a pot, bring broth to boil. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce.
Add ramen cake and cook for 1 minute at a soft boil (do not touch the noodles).
After one minute, gentle stir the noodles apart. Cook for another 4 minutes.
Pour broth into a bowl. Add chili flakes. Add noodles. Add sautéed greens on top.
Garnish with shredded carrots.
*If you do not have broth made at home, you can make your own easily by using kombu or miso, or in a pinch, use vegetable broth powder. If using broth made from kombu or miso, you might want to add some minced garlic to the broth when boiling (or Hing spice), additional soy sauce and sriracha sauce if you're palate needs a stronger flavored broth.