Kalguksu (Hand-Cut Knife Noodles)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large heavy pot, 5 to 6 quarts
• •Rolling pin, at least 14 inches long
• •Sharp chef's knife
• •Wide cutting board or clean work surface
• •Slotted spoon or spider

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Stir the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a wide bowl. Add 3/4 cup water and the oil, then mix with chopsticks or your fingers until shaggy. Knead 8 to 10 minutes, pressing with the heel of your hand, until the dough is firm and smooth. If dry flour will not gather after 3 minutes, add water 1 teaspoon at a time. Do not make it soft. A soft dough is easy now and troublesome under the knife.

   Different flour drinks water differently. The number to remember is 2 1/2 cups flour to 3/4 cup water, then tiny corrections only. Write down what your flour needed.
2. 2

   Rest the dough

   Wrap the dough or cover it tightly with an overturned bowl and rest it 30 minutes at room temperature. This rest lets the flour hydrate and the gluten relax, so the dough rolls thin instead of springing back at you. If you are making dinner after work, make the dough first, then build the broth while it rests.

3. 3

   Clean the clams

   Scrub the clams well. Soak them in 4 cups cold water mixed with 1 tablespoon salt for 20 to 30 minutes, then lift them out of the water instead of pouring the grit back over them. Rinse once. Throw away any clam that is cracked or stays open when tapped.

4. 4

   Build the broth

   Put 8 cups water, the kelp, and the prepared anchovies in a large pot. Bring it just to a simmer over medium heat, then pull the kelp out right away. Kelp left to boil turns the broth slick and bitter. Simmer the anchovies 10 minutes more, then lift them out. Add the clams and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, just until they open. Lift the clams into a bowl and cover them so they do not toughen while the noodles cook.

   For chicken kalguksu, replace the anchovies and clams with 900g bone-in chicken pieces simmered in 9 cups water for 45 minutes, then shred the meat and season the broth the same way.
5. 5

   Roll and fold

   Flour the board generously and divide the dough in half. Roll one half into a thin sheet, about 1/16 inch thick, turning and dusting as needed so it never sticks. Dust the top with flour, fold it loosely into thirds or quarters, and do not press the folds flat. The flour between the folds keeps the layers separate and later thickens the soup.

6. 6

   Cut the noodles

   Use a sharp knife to cut the folded dough into strands about 1/4 inch wide. Shake them open with your fingers and toss with a little more flour so they do not cling. Repeat with the second half of dough. Uneven hand-cut noodles are welcome. Thick lumps are not, because they cook outside before the center is done.

7. 7

   Season the pot

   Bring the broth back to a boil. Add the potato, onion, garlic, soup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook 4 minutes, until the potato edges begin to turn translucent. Taste the broth now. It should be savory but a little light, because the noodles will add flour and the clams will return with their salt.

8. 8

   Cook the noodles

   Shake off any heavy clumps of flour from the noodles, but do not rinse them. Drop the noodles into the boiling broth a handful at a time, stirring gently after each addition so they do not knot together. Boil 5 to 7 minutes, until the noodles are tender with a little chew and the broth has turned lightly silky. Add the zucchini for the last 2 minutes so it stays green and sweet.

9. 9

   Return the clams

   Return the opened clams and any clean juices from their bowl to the pot. Simmer 1 minute, only to warm them through. Taste and adjust with 1/4 teaspoon salt at a time if needed. Do not chase saltiness with soy sauce here, or the clear broth turns muddy and the clams disappear.

10. 10

    Serve at once

    Ladle the noodles, broth, vegetables, and clams into deep bowls. Finish with scallions, a few gim strips, sesame seeds, and a small thread of sesame oil if you like. Serve immediately, with kimchi beside it. Kalguksu waits badly; the noodles keep drinking, and a proper bowl becomes a paste if left sitting.

Chef Tips

• •Fresh clams should smell clean and briny, never sour. If your market's clams look tired, leave them there and make anchovy-only or chicken kalguksu. Technique first. Poor shellfish does not become better because the pot is kind.
• •Do not rinse handmade noodles. The loose flour is part of the dish, turning the broth silky. Shake off excess flour only if the strands look heavily coated.
• •A pasta machine can roll the dough if your wrists are tired. That is a safe modern vessel for the work. Still cut the noodles with a knife if you want kalguksu's proper uneven chew.
• •Kimchi is the right companion, especially baechu-kimchi (napa cabbage kimchi) or kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi). The sour crunch keeps the rich wheat broth from feeling heavy.
• •If using store-bought fresh knife noodles, choose ones with visible flour dust and a short ingredient list. Cook them 1 to 2 minutes less than the package says, then taste one before serving.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be kneaded and refrigerated up to 24 hours ahead. Bring it to room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling, or it will fight the pin.
• •The anchovy-kelp broth can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Add clams only on the day you serve, because reheated clams toughen.
• •Cut noodles can be dusted with flour, loosely coiled, and held on a tray for 1 hour at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze them on the tray until firm, then bag them and cook from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 650g)