There was this ramen joint at a corner of Orchard that sells terrific food. My usual order was cold soba. But good things don’t last – they folded some time back, allegedly due to gambling debt. Staff and suppliers were owed money they are never going to get back. It was a solemn end to my favourite restaurant.
I’m not the biggest fan of Korean food and culture, but this spicy Korean-style noodle looks appetizing. Slices of zucchini complement the texture of the cold noodle, perfect too for mitigating the spiciness of the menacing chili paste.
Here’s the recipe I lifted from Monocle’s weekend newsletter.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 medium egg
Half a cucumber
6 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
4 tbsps kimchee
200g thin wheat noodles (ideally 1.5mm), such as somen
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
For the sauce:
2½ tbsps light brown sugar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsps rice vinegar
2 tbsps gochujang
Method:
- Place the egg in boiling water and cook for 8 minutes. When it’s ready, drain and cool in cold water.
- While the egg is cooking, prepare the vegetables: slice the tomatoes in half and cut the cucumber into matchsticks.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a large bowl until combined.
- Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions.
- Drain the noodles and rinse in cold running water to cool completely and wash off the excess starch. Drain again completely.
- Add the drained noodles to the bowl that you made the sauce in. Toss to dress the noodles.
- Peel the egg, cut it in half and place it on top.
- Divide noodles between 2 serving bowls. Arrange cucumber, tomatoes and kimchee in each bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy.
ayanishimura.com