Bibim Guksu (비빔국수) is a classic of Korean cuisine. This dish of cold wheat noodles is mixed with a spicy sauce made from gochujang, vinegar, and soy sauce, then topped with kimchi, crunchy vegetables, and a hard-boiled egg. Light, refreshing, and very flavorful, it is particularly enjoyed in warm weather, but can be eaten all year round.
Easy to prepare, bibim guksu offers a balance of spiciness, acidity, a slight sweetness, and the freshness of vegetables. It's a fairly light dish that can be devoured in a few bites, so don't hesitate to increase the portions!
Information
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 10 minutes
- Total time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Level: Easy
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 4 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 to 3 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp Korean soy sauce (ganjang)
- 2 tbsp maesil syrup (green plum syrup)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp gochugaru
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
The rest:
- 500 g somyeon (thin wheat noodles)
- 400 g Chinese cabbage kimchi (drained)
- 75 g cucumber
- 4 tbsp ground sesame seeds
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
Preparation
1. Prepare the vegetables
Remove the base of the kimchi then cut it into pieces approximately 4 cm long. Cut the cucumber into thin sticks.
2. Prepare the sauce
In a large bowl, mix the rice vinegar, gochujang, soy sauce, maesil syrup, sesame oil, gochugaru, and sugar until you get a homogeneous sauce.
3. Cook the noodles
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add the somyeon, stirring regularly to prevent them from sticking. Cook for about 3 minutes.
If the water starts to foam, add a (small) glass of cold water to stop the boiling.
Drain the noodles then rinse them thoroughly under cold water until they are completely cooled (very important point!).
Drain carefully.
4. Mix
Add the noodles and kimchi to the bowl containing the sauce.
Mix thoroughly so that all the noodles are perfectly coated.
5. Serve
Divide the noodles into four bowls.
Add the cucumber, lettuce, ground sesame seeds, and half a hard-boiled egg to each portion.
Serve immediately.
Tips and variations
- For a fresher version, replace the cabbage kimchi with yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi), very popular in Korea during the summer.
- Sprinkle the bibim guksu with finely ground toasted brown rice (hyeonmi garu). This powder brings a light toasted flavor and a subtle texture that perfectly balances the spicy sauce.
- Add some finely chopped spring onions just before serving to add a fresh vegetable note and enhance the flavors.
- Adjust the amount of gochugaru and gochujang according to the desired level of spiciness (for information, the recipe was made with 2 tablespoons of gochujang and that was enough).
