Kongguksu with soba noodles and ume plum pickled tomatoes
Chilled soy milk noodle soup in a nutty, creamy broth, topped with ume plum vinegar-pickled tomatoes, fresh julienned cucumber, and crispy rice.
- Prep Time: 90
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 2 days
- Yield: 2 1x
- Cuisine: Korean
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
For the soy milk broth and noodles:
- ½ cup (90g) dried soybeans*
- 2 cups (480ml) water
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 5 oz (140g) dried soba noodles or somyeon (wheat noodles)
- 1 Persian cucumber, julienned
For the ume plum-pickled tomatoes:
- 1 pint (340g) cherry tomatoes
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) ume plum vinegar
- ½ cup (100g) sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
For the crispy rice (optional):
- ½ cup (70g) cooked and cooled jasmine rice
Instructions
- Make the soy milk broth. Soak the soybeans overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Rinse well. Transfer the soaked soybeans to a large saucepan and cover with enough water to submerge by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the beans are cooked but still slightly crunchy. Drain and rinse off any loosened skins. Puree the beans in a high-speed blender with the water, roasted sesame seeds, peanuts, and and salt, until creamy and smooth. Chill the milk in the refrigerator.
- Make the pickled tomatoes (prepare 2 hours in advance). Cut an “x” on the tomatoes with the tip of a sharp paring knife. Blanch for 20 seconds in boiling water, transfer to a bowl of cold water, and peel— the skins should slide right off. Combine the brine ingredients in a glass container and add the tomatoes. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to infuse the tomatoes with flavor.
- Make the crispy rice (optional). Break up the cooled rice with your fingers to get rid of any clumps. Fry in oil heated to 350°F (177°C), stirring often and turning with a skimmer until the rice is crispy and golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel.
- Assemble. Cook the noodles according to its package instructions, until al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water and divide into 2 bowls. Pour the chilled broth over the noodles. Top with pickled tomatoes, julienned cucumber and crispy rice.
Notes
*If you don’t have dried soybeans, there are two alternatives for making the broth. These shortcuts will not taste nearly as delicious as homemade soy milk broth, but they are convenient if you don’t have time to soak soybeans.
- Use 2 cups storebought unsweetened soy milk. This will only work with fresh soy milk found in an Asian supermarket, not the sweetened Western kind with additives. Blend with the toasted sesame and roasted peanuts.
- Use a block of store-bought soft or silken tofu. Blanch the block of tofu in a pot of boiling water before blending. Tofu is made from cooked soybeans, so the texture and protein content will be similar.
Keywords: kongguksu, soy milk