Bibim Guksu (Korean Spicy Mixed Noodles)

May 13, 2022

남편과 나는 우리 엄마가 다 젊은 나이에 돌아가셨어요. 그래서 어버이날이나 한식이나 엄마들의 사망 기념일에는 조금 우울해져요. 올해는 엄마들의 무덤을 성묘 후에 한식을 기념하기 위해 비빔국수를 요리했어요.

한식은 설날과 추석과 단오와 함께 한국의 4대 명절 중 하나이예요. 전통에 따르면 사람들은 불 사용을 피하고 찬 음식을 먹었어요. 그래서 한식은 금연일이나 냉절라고도 알려져 있어요. 현대에는 한식이 덜 중요해져서 찬 음식을 먹는 전통도 덜 해져요.

비빔국수는 냉면보다 덜 차갑지만 나는 비빔국수를 더 좋아해서 비빔국수를 대신 요리했어요. 보통처럼 나는 레시피를 조금 트윅했서 비빔국수 레시피에 베트남 번트톳누옹을 퓨즈했어요.

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So it was Hansik 한식 (or Chinese Qingming) a while ago, a day commemorated by many Orientals to remember their ancestors. Also known as Korean Cold Food Festival 냉절, it is practice to eat naengmyeon (cold noodles) after memorializing the foreparents, harking to the tradition to refrain from using fire to cook.

But because we're not the sort to steadfastly adhere to custom, I decided to make like a rebel, try my hand at Bibim Guksu instead. A spicy noodle dish typically served tepid (cf ice-cold naengmyeon), I tweaked the dish by taking inspiration from one of my favourite Vietnamese dishes bún thịt nướng.

And tbh, after toiling under the sweltering sun dusting off the motherships earlier in the morning, we wanted something refreshing; but bc we were also feeling melancholic, we also wanted something heart-warming and comforting. Bibim Guksu would meet both requirements quite well, I thought.

Ingredients (feeds 2):

2 large carrots, cut into thin spiraled noodles

2 cups corn kernels

12 shitake mushrooms, sliced

2 handfuls dried Korean buckwheat noodles (we used the whole packet)

20 slices wagyu

20 perilla leaves, ribboned

canola oil

sesame oil

salt

soy sauce

1 head garlic, minced

Optional: 2 eggs

Sauce:

half cup ponzu

half cup spicy bulgogi sauce

1/4 cup dashi stock

1/4 cup sesame oil

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions:

1) Fry 1 tbsp minced garlic in 1 tbsp canola oil, 1 tsp sesame oil, on medium heat, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2) Add carrots, a couple tbsp water, 2 tbsp soy sauce, stir through on medium-high heat until soft. Set aside.

3) Fry 1 tbsp minced garlic in 1 tbsp canola oil, 1 tsp sesame oil, on medium heat, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4) Add corn, salt to taste, stir through for a minute, and set aside

5) Fry 1 tbsp minced garlic in 1 tbsp canola oil, 1 tsp sesame oil, on medium heat, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

6) Add mushrooms, fry until water released is cooked off, salt to taste, and set aside

7) Add half cup canola oil, turn heat up to high, and fry the eggs sunny-side. Set aside on paper towels to drain the oil from the egg.

8) Remove the oil, leaving the pan oiled but just a little. Sear the beef on high heat, salting liberally, about 7 seconds each side. Remove and set aside to drain on paper towels.