Baek Jong-won's Garak Gukksu Recipe with Smoked Anchovies for a Deeper Flavor

The essence of Korean home cooking: Baek Jong-won's Galak Gukksu (가락국수), featuring a flavorful broth made with smoked anchovies!

Galak Gukksu (가락국수) is a representative Korean noodle dish known for its harmonious blend of soft noodles and a deep, flavorful broth. This recipe uses smoked anchovies to create an even richer broth. Following Baek Jong-won's recipe, you can easily make Galak Gukksu at home that rivals restaurant quality.

[Ingredients] (Serves 4)

Smoked Anchovy Broth

• Water: 2.5L
• Smoked Anchovies: 1 cup (40g)
• Onion: 1/4 (50g)
• Green Onion: 1 stalk (100g)
• Radish: 1/8 (80g)
• Kelp: 2 sheets (2g)

Galak Gukksu (가락국수)

• Broth: 1.25L
• Soy Sauce (Jin Ganjang): 8 tbsp (80g)
• Soy Sauce (Guk Ganjang): 4 tbsp (40g)
• Cooking Wine (Masul): 4 tbsp (40g)
• Granulated Sugar (Hwang Seol Tang): 1 tbsp (10g)
• Salt (Kkot Sogum): Appropriate amount
• Galak Gukksu Noodles: 4 servings
• Green Onion: Appropriate amount
• Deep-fried Tofu Pouches (Yubu): Appropriate amount
• Flower-shaped Fish Cake (Mae Hwa Eomuk): Appropriate amount
• Crab Stick (Masal): Appropriate amount
• Mugwort (Ssuk Gat): Appropriate amount
• Soaked Seaweed (Bul Rin Miyeok): Appropriate amount
• Korean Chili Powder (Gochu Garu): Appropriate amount
• Black Pepper: Appropriate amount

[Instructions]

1. Making the Smoked Anchovy Broth

1. Preparing the Smoked Anchovies: Remove the innards of the smoked anchovies to eliminate any fishy smell.
2. Adding Broth Ingredients: In a pot, add water, smoked anchovies, onion skins, green onions, radish, and kelp. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Boiling the Broth: Once the broth starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30-40 minutes until approximately 1.25L remains.
4. Straining the Broth: Strain the finished broth through a sieve to obtain a clear broth.

2. Seasoning the Broth

1. Pour the strained broth into a pot and add soy sauce (Jin Ganjang), soy sauce (Guk Ganjang), cooking wine (Masul), granulated sugar (Hwang Seol Tang), and salt (Kkot Sogum) to taste.
2. Adjust the seasoning to your preference.

3. Preparing the Garnishes

1. Julienne the deep-fried tofu pouches (Yubu), and cut the crab sticks (Masal) diagonally.
2. Slice the flower-shaped fish cakes (Mae Hwa Eomuk) to a thickness of 0.5cm, and finely chop the green onions for garnish.
3. Wash the mugwort (Ssuk Gat) and soaked seaweed (Bul Rin Miyeok) thoroughly and cut into appropriate sizes.

4. Cooking the Noodles

1. Add the Galak Gukksu noodles and flower-shaped fish cakes (Mae Hwa Eomuk) to boiling water and blanch.
2. Rinse the blanched noodles with cold water to remove excess starch, then briefly blanch them in hot water to keep them warm.

5. Serving

1. Place the blanched noodles in a bowl and pour in the prepared smoked anchovy broth.
2. Top with deep-fried tofu pouches (Yubu), crab sticks (Masal), flower-shaped fish cakes (Mae Hwa Eomuk), mugwort (Ssuk Gat), soaked seaweed (Bul Rin Miyeok), and finely chopped green onions as garnish.
3. Sprinkle with Korean chili powder (Gochu Garu) and black pepper to taste, and serve.

The Specialness of Broth Made with Smoked Anchovies

Smoked anchovies have a subtle smoky aroma that adds depth and richness to the flavor compared to regular anchovies. Using them as the base ingredient for the broth results in a clean yet rich broth without any fishy smell, making it particularly well-suited for Korean dishes.

Cooking Tips

1. Broth Secret: If using regular anchovies instead of smoked anchovies, you can enhance the flavor by increasing the amount of kelp and radish slightly.
2. Using Various Garnishes: While this recipe uses deep-fried tofu pouches (Yubu) and flower-shaped fish cakes (Mae Hwa Eomuk), you can also add fried foods, seaweed flakes, boiled eggs, etc.
3. Adjusting the Broth Seasoning: Adjusting the ratio of soy sauce (Guk Ganjang) and soy sauce (Jin Ganjang) will change the flavor of the broth. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.

A Meal with Galak Gukksu (가락국수)

Baek Jong-won's Galak Gukksu (가락국수) made with smoked anchovy broth boasts a rich flavor and a clean broth, showcasing the best of Korean cuisine. It's a delightful dish the whole family can enjoy, allowing you to easily create a restaurant-quality meal at home.

Make Galak Gukksu (가락국수) with Baek Jong-won's recipe today!