Spicy Kimchi Gochujang Noodle Soup: A Cozy Homemade Recipe
Updated: Oct 2
aka, by me-Spiced Kimchi Gochu Noodle Soup
An Asian-inspired fusion of tangy kimchi, rich gochujang, a comforting taste in a beautifully spicy broth. With noodles! š
Hello, my Lovelies!
Today, we're bringing a little adventure into our kitchens, and I sincerely hope you've come hungry. We're making a gorgeous bowl of Spiced Kimchi Gochu Noodle Soup, where tangy fermented cabbage meets a rich, spicy broth, and a generous tangle of noodles makes the whole affair worth staying home for.
Now, before you reach for your apron, I have a question. Have you ever wandered down the international aisle of a grocery store, spotted a beautiful red tub of something called gochujang, and wondered what on earth you were supposed to do with it?
Well, my dear, pull up a chair. We're about to become acquainted.
As a Filipino, I've always appreciated a good bowl of something warm and comforting.
Give me a savory broth, a generous helping of noodles, and a few ingredients that bring everything together, and you've already convinced me to stay for dinner.
But one of my favorite things about cooking at home is discovering flavors beyond those I grew up with. And today, we're borrowing a little inspiration from Korean cooking.
Our first introduction is kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented vegetable dish, most famously made with napa cabbage. It brings a wonderful combination of tanginess, savory depth, and, depending on the variety, a rather enthusiastic amount of spice.
Then there's gochujang, a Korean fermented red chili paste. It's thick, deeply savory, a little sweet, and beautifully spicy.
Think of it as that one friend who walks into a perfectly respectable gathering and immediately makes everything more interesting. Seriously not gatekeeping here.
There is plenty to share. (The auntie in me says so).
And no, my Lovely, gochujang isn't simply another bottle of hot sauce. Its fermented flavor gives our broth a richness that ordinary chili sauce wouldn't quite deliver.
If you're new to these ingredients, don't worry. You needn't be a Korean culinary expert to enjoy discovering them. We're simply learning our way around a few wonderful flavors and making something comforting with them.
Of course, kimchi and gochujang have long been important ingredients in Korean cooking. Kimchi has a rich history of vegetable preservation and fermentation, while gochujang is one of Korea's well-loved fermented seasonings. Traditional Korean dishes such as kimchi-jjigae, or kimchi stew, show just how delicious fermented kimchi can become when simmered in a warming broth.
Our noodle soup takes inspiration from those ingredients, but it isn't intended to be a traditional kimchi-jjigae. We're making our own little fusion creation, complete with slurp-worthy noodles and a broth that combines tanginess, spice, and savory goodness.
And since I'm playing the role of your Filipino auntie today, allow me to offer a little kitchen wisdom.
In a little bowl, taste your broth before adding more chili paste.
I know, I know. That beautiful red color is practically inviting you to be adventurous, but we must remember that there's a very fine line between enjoying a spicy dinner and reconsidering every decision that brought us to this moment.
Start with a little, taste as you go, and let the flavors develop. You can always add more heat, but convincing an overly spicy soup to behave itself is another matter entirely.
Don't ruined the lunch because you are going to waste all that flavor not to be eaten. Take your time in this. And have some patience and also a la cart your way to your preferred taste of spicy.
As everything simmers, the kimchi releases its wonderfully tangy flavor into the broth, the gochujang adds depth and warmth, and the noodles soak up all that savory goodness.
Before long, your kitchen will smell like you've been working on something delicious all afternoon.
And the best part? You don't have to make a grand occasion out of it.
1 bowl of hot soup coming right up!
This is the kind of soup I'd happily prepare on a rainy afternoon, a quiet evening at home, or whenever I'm craving something a little more exciting than my usual lunch.
So, bring out your favorite soup bowl, grab your chopsticks or a perfectly respectable fork, and join me in the kitchen.
We're making something gloriously spicy, wonderfully comforting, and just messy enough to remind us that good food is meant to be enjoyed.
Aprons on, my Lovelies. We've got a gorgeous bowl of soup waiting for us!
Spiced Kimchi Gochu Noodle Soup
Serving: 4
(Should be prepped ahead of time in order to ferment in the fridge for 2-3 days)
Kimchi:
1/2 Part of Napa cabbage or 1/2 regular cabbage.
1 Carrot
1/2 Bundle of green leaf onion
Kimchi Seasoning:
1/2 Cup Gochugaru
1/4 Cup Fish sauce
1 Cup Vinegar
Salt to taste
5 Cloves Garlic minced finely
1/3 Cup water
Handling prep:
I might interject and present to you this part because it is like a very clean thing to do. While submerging your vegetables in the veggie bath to thorougly clean them in prepping before consumption.
1/4 cup Baking soda
6 cups of warm water
I found out about this veggie bath while watching other vloggers. And I love their clean food. Before pickling the veggies, I feel like it is the safest way to do.
In to the veggie bath it goes. š„šLeave for 3-5 minutes.
Slicing Instructions:
(Given we already have done veggie bath)
Carrots-julienne
Napa cabbage- Remove base about 1/2 inch in the bottom of cabbage. Sliced in the middle short side. And dismantle each leaf then each leaf 2 times or three times depends on your size preference according to how big your Napa cabbage.
Round head cabbage- Place cabbage base down on chopping board. Slice in half in the middle. Slice the leaves in strips.
Green leaf onions (3-4 pcs.) Remove base with the root. Then slice it in half separating the
stalk from the leaf.
Seasoning Instructions:
-In a bowl mix the gochugaru, fish sauce, vinegar, salt (to taste), garlic.
-Add in 1/3 cup water.
-Mix until all ingredients are blended.
-Put in all sliced veggies.
-Mix thoroughly.
-Put in a sealed air tight container and refrigerate 2-3 days.
Noodle prep:
1 Pack Vermicelli noodle
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Garlic powder
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
Just a note, I really cook my noodles first in a short boil or until it is half cooked. Just to get the flour after taste if I put it raw in the soup base and let it cook from there.
I like it this way and just personal preference. You can experiment which way you want to do this. But I definitely like to cook my noodles separately before putting it into the soup base. I feel it has a cleaner taste.
The olive oil makes them not stick to each other smushed and break when handling. You have a long good looking noodle with this soup.
Instructions:
-Into a pot 4 cups of water. Add in noodle of preference. And add salt and garlic powder.
-After 2 minutes of rolling boil remove pot from the heat and pour on a strainer and let water drain.
Soup Base:
3 Cups Water
2 Tbsp. Minced garlic.
2 Tbsp. Gochujang
Salt to taste
Sesame oil to taste (be very carefulš¦-a little goes a long way. I add this because it is my preffered taste with this soup. You can also leave it out if you are the only one who likes this kind of taste on soups. Set oil as a side condiment).
Add-ins:
A half block of (very firm) Tofu. Mini sliced.
1 Can Jalapeno Spam. Mini sliced.
1 1/2 cup Kimchi
Garnish:
Cilantro sprigs chopped finely.
2 Leaf onion shopped thinly.
Instructions:
-In a pot put water, minced garlic, gochujang, salt to taste.
-Optional a dollop of sesame oil.
-Add in tofu, jalapeno Spam, and Kimchi.
-Noodles in.
-Bring the base soup to a boil.
-Put in 4 bowls
-Garnish with Cilantro and sliced leaf onions.
Until Our Pots Simmer Again...
Well, my Lovelies, I hope your kitchen smells absolutely wonderful by now and that you've discovered a new flavor or two to add to your little collection of cooking adventures.
Whether this is your first encounter with kimchi and gochujang or you've already made friends with these delicious ingredients, I hope this spicy noodle soup brings a little warmth and excitement to your table.
Remember, cooking isn't always about getting everything perfectly right. Sometimes, it's about trying something unfamiliar, adjusting a little seasoning, and discovering that the best meals come with a good story.
And if your soup turned out a little spicier than expected, well, my dear, there's no shame in reaching for another glass of water!
Thank you for spending a little time in my kitchen today. I hope you'll come back soon for another comforting homemade meal, a few new discoveries, and perhaps a little more auntie wisdom.
Until our pots simmer again,
With love and a sprinkle of lovely,
Kay ā”
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