Name: Cold Soy Milk Noodles
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 7 oz Somyeon (thin wheat noodles); 3 cups Unsweetened soy milk; ½ teaspoon Salt; 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds (toasted); ½ medium Cucumber (julienned); 1 cup Ice cubes

I made kongguksu for my Portuguese friend Rafael on a hot July afternoon when the air conditioning in my apartment was broken. He was skeptical about cold noodles in what he described as "bean soup" — the concept of savory soy milk as a broth hadn't landed for him yet.

The key is temperature. Kongguksu is not just cold — it needs to be ice cold, almost startlingly so. When the soy milk broth is at the right temperature and you add it over the just-rinsed cold noodles with ice cubes floating on top, the effect is almost medical. It cools you from the inside in a way that nothing else does quite so efficiently.

The soy milk broth needs to be unsweetened and blended with toasted sesame seeds for the best result. The sesame adds a subtle nuttiness that distinguishes it from plain soy milk and brings it closer to what freshly ground soybeans taste like in traditional kongguksu. The salt is the seasoning — this is not a spiced or heavily flavored dish. The whole point is the clean, cool, creamy simplicity of it. Rafael finished his bowl and immediately asked if there was more. Hot July afternoon, broken AC. Kongguksu did exactly what it was supposed to do.

Instructions

Chill the unsweetened soy milk in the refrigerator until very cold. For an even creamier broth, blend the soy milk with 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds and ½ teaspoon salt until smooth.

Tip: Traditional kongguksu uses freshly ground soybeans, but high-quality unsweetened soy milk is an easy shortcut that tastes great.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the somyeon noodles for 2-3 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse very thoroughly under cold water until the noodles are completely cold.

Julienne the cucumber into thin matchstick strips. These will go on top as a fresh garnish.

Place the cold noodles in serving bowls. Pour the chilled soy milk broth over the noodles. Add a few ice cubes to keep it ice-cold. Top with julienned cucumber and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Tip: This is a perfect summer dish — the colder, the better. Some people add a pinch of sugar if the soy milk is too plain.

Cold Soy Milk Noodles

Kongguksu

Prep: 10 minCook: 5 minTotal: 15 minServings: 2

Ingredients

7 oz Somyeon (thin wheat noodles)
3 cups Unsweetened soy milk
½ teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Sesame seeds (toasted)
½ medium Cucumber (julienned)
1 cup Ice cubes

Instructions

Chill the unsweetened soy milk in the refrigerator until very cold. For an even creamier broth, blend the soy milk with 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds and ½ teaspoon salt until smooth.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the somyeon noodles for 2-3 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse very thoroughly under cold water until the noodles are completely cold.
Julienne the cucumber into thin matchstick strips. These will go on top as a fresh garnish.
Place the cold noodles in serving bowls. Pour the chilled soy milk broth over the noodles. Add a few ice cubes to keep it ice-cold. Top with julienned cucumber and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately.