KONG NAMUL (콩나물 라면• Bean Sprout) CONSOMMÉ RAMEN

My father’s go-to “I don’t know what to make” dish for me and my brother while we were growing up was always kong namul guk (bean sprout soup). It was one of the soups my brother and I would eat with a bowl of rice and good kimchi. I always thought the loveliest thing about the soup was how clear the broth was, which was why I was determined to turn it into a consommé (a French technique that results in the clearest of broths). In honor of my father, the noodle king, I make this soup with ramen noodles.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

In a large pot, combine the bean sprouts, dashima, and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 1 hour.

Step 2

Set a mesh sieve over a medium pot. Pour the liquid through a sieve into the pot. Discard the dashima, but reserve the bean sprouts.

Step 3

Place the pot of broth over medium-high heat. Stir in the agar-agar and bring to a boil. Stir constantly, until the liquid starts to thicken, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Step 4

Place the pot of broth in the refrigerator until it sets like gelatin, about 1 hour.

Step 5

Cut the jelled broth into large cubes and place the cubes into a freezer-safe container. Make sure that the cubes are not touching one another, as they will be difficult to separate when they are frozen. Allow the cubes to freeze for at least 12 hours.

Step 6

When the cubes are completely frozen, take the container out of the freezer and allow the cubes to sit at room temperature in the containers until they have thawed enough to remove.

Step 7

Line a large mesh sieve with cheesecloth (or use coffee filters if you don’t have cheesecloth) and set over a small pot. Place as many cubes as you can into the sieve and allow them to melt right through the sieve and into the pot. This liquid is your consommé. Discard the dried-out “shells” of broth cubes and repeat until all the cubes have melted.

Step 8

Bring the consommé to a boil and add the ramen noodles. Using your chopsticks or a fork, as the noodles cook, pull them up and out of the hot liquid for a few seconds every 30 or so seconds. Cook until the noodles are al dente, 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 9

Add the cooked bean sprouts, salt, scallion, and green chili to the pot and cook for 1 more minute before serving with kimchi.

Step 10

NOTES

Step 11

Agar-agar is a gelatin made from seaweed. Because regular gelatin is often derived from animal products, agar-agar provides a great plant-based alternative. It’s also a good source of nutrients like iron, fiber, and manganese. And don’t worry—it’s tasteless!