Amy's Cooking Class

Here's a recipe for Kongguksu (Cold Soybean Noodle Soup), tailored for an international audience:

Kongguksu (Cold Soybean Noodle Soup) Recipe

Kongguksu is a refreshing and nutritious Korean noodle dish with a creamy soybean broth. It's a popular summer meal.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

Soybean Broth:
- 2 cups cooked soybeans (white soybeans)
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup peanuts or pine nuts (optional)
- Salt to taste
Noodles:
- 2 servings thin wheat noodles (somen) or medium wheat noodles
Toppings:
- 1/2 cucumber, julienned
- 1/2 tomato, sliced (optional)
- 1 hard-boiled egg, halved (optional)
- Black sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions:

Soak and Cook the Soybeans:
- Rinse the soybeans and soak them in water for at least 5 hours, or overnight.
- Drain the soybeans and place them in a pot with fresh water, enough to cover them.
- Boil the soybeans until they are tender.
- Rinse the cooked soybeans with cold water and peel off the skins.
Make the Soybean Broth:
- In a blender, combine the cooked soybeans, water, peanuts or pine nuts (if using), and salt.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- For a smoother broth, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve.
- Chill the soybean broth in the refrigerator.
Cook the Noodles:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Add the noodles and cook until tender.
- Rinse the cooked noodles under cold running water several times to remove the starch.
- Drain the noodles and place them in bowls.
Prepare the Toppings:
- Julienne the cucumber and slice the tomato (if using).
- Halve the hard-boiled egg (if using).
Assemble the Kongguksu:
- Pour the chilled soybean broth over the noodles in each bowl.
- Arrange the cucumber, tomato, and hard-boiled egg on top.
- Sprinkle with black sesame seeds (if using).
- Add salt to taste.

Tips: