Cold Korean Soba

Serves 2  Prep Time 30 minutes  Cooking Time 15 minutes

For the pickled cucumber

• 2 Korean cucumbers
• 1 cup water seasoned with 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar 
• 1/2 teaspoon gojuchang 
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

For the spicy dipping sauce

• 1 pear, sliced
• 2 pieces shallots, chopped
• 5 grams ginger, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup 
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 stalks spring onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup gojuchang

For the soup stock

• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 piece kombu kelp
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar or to taste
• salt, pepper, and sugar

• 100 grams buckwheat noodles, boiled until al dente then soaked in ice cold water until ready to serve

For the toppings

• 2 hard boiled eggs, halved

              Learn How to Boil an Egg here

• 1 pear, sliced into thin strips and soaked in water with 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 stalk leek, shredded

 Method

1  Make the pickled cucumber: Slice each cucumber lengthwise and scrape off seeds. Peel or slice thinly into 2-inch strips. Soak cucumber in salted water for an hour then wash to remove salt; drain.

2  In a bowl, mix together sugar, vinegar, gojuchang, and sesame oil. Add drained cucumber and chill overnight.

3  Make the spicy dipping sauce: In the bowl of a food processor, mix together all the ingredients; puree. Set aside.

4  Make the soup stock: Boil chicken stock and add kombu kelp; boil for 5 minutes. Remove kelp and season stock with vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar. Let it simmer until it boils again; strain. Chill until cold before serving, or refrigerate overnight.

5  To assemble, drain buckwheat noodles from iced water. Arrange the noodles on two serving bowls. Pour in cold chicken stock and top each bowl with 1 sliced egg. Garnish with pear slices, pickled cucumber, and shredded leeks. Serve cold with spicy dipping sauce on the side.

Photography by  Aldwin Aspillera | Food Styling by Katherine Sion of Heny Sison Culinary School  | Prop Styling by Rachelle Santos


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