A Foolproof Recipe for Spicy Bibim-guksu

Bibim-guksu is a dish where the pungent seasoning sauce and the soft taste of somyeon (thin wheat noodles) harmonize. It is especially great when you have no appetite. It is also a beloved dish because it can be made without any special ingredients. However, the taste of bibim-guksu can vary depending on several factors.

The taste can vary significantly depending on how much somyeon and seasoning sauce you use. So, let's take a closer look at a foolproof recipe for delicious bibim-guksu. First, let's go over the basic method for making bibim-guksu.

Things to prepare for delicious bibim-guksu

For one serving, you need 2 handfuls of somyeon (160g), 1/5 of a zucchini (50g), 25g of onion, and 1/4 of a cucumber (50g). Additional ingredients include 1/8 of a carrot (25g), 1 cabbage leaf (about the size of a palm), 1 egg, and 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil (7ml).

First, fan the somyeon out into boiling water and cook it. Add cold water each time the water boils up. Once cooked, quickly rinse the noodles in cold water while agitating them, then drain them in a strainer. Thinly slice the cucumber and cabbage. Cut the zucchini, carrot, and onion into appropriately sized strips. Add cooking oil to a heated pan and sauté the sliced zucchini, carrot, and onion. Boil the egg and set it aside. Next, make the seasoning sauce. The sauce requires 3 tablespoons of gochujang (45g), 1 teaspoon of soy sauce (5ml), 2/3 tablespoon of sugar (7g), 1 tablespoon of vinegar (15ml), 1 teaspoon of sesame oil (5ml), and a small amount of sesame seeds. Mix the ingredients evenly in a medium-sized bowl. Taste the sauce and add a little more sugar, soy sauce, or vinegar if desired.

Mix the somyeon, cucumber, cabbage, etc., into the well-combined seasoning sauce. While mixing, add sesame oil to enhance the nuttiness. Place it in a bowl and top it with the zucchini, carrot, and onion. Cut the boiled egg in half and place it on top.

Baek Jong-won's bibim-guksu: The seasoning sauce is important

Now, let's look at another foolproof bibim-guksu recipe, Baek Jong-won's version. It may be easier because the method is simple. First, finely chop the kimchi, then add the cooked somyeon. Add enough sugar that it seems the dish might be a little too sweet. Add enough gochujang and soy sauce that it seems it might be a little salty and spicy. Mix while adjusting the seasoning, adding a little red pepper powder at a time for color. Finally, add sesame oil and top with seaweed flakes or any vegetables and garnishes you have at home.

Baek Jong-won's bibim-guksu sauce does not require many special ingredients, but the key is to add enough that it may seem slightly excessive. Once everything is mixed and tasted, however, the flavor is not particularly overpowering. Because kimchi is included, the kimchi bibim-guksu can also have a refreshing, distinctive taste. Knowing how to adjust the sauce is one of the key points of a foolproof bibim-guksu recipe. You can tailor the dish to your preferences by adjusting the gochujang and other seasonings or changing the toppings to create a different flavor.

[Fam Times = Reporter Hong Seung-beom]