Soupe de nouilles coupées à la main (Kalguksu)

Make and rest the dough

In a bowl, mix the flour and salt, then add the cold water and bring it together with your hands. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5–8 minutes until smooth and no longer sticky, then wrap tightly in plastic and rest at room temperature.

• 400 g flour
• 200 ml water
• 1 tsp salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : the dough is smooth and elastic; resting relaxes the gluten so it rolls out easily and the cooked noodles are tender, not tough

Make the broth

In a pot, combine the water, kelp, onion and garlic and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, pull out the kelp (leaving it in longer turns the broth bitter and slimy), then add the dried anchovies and simmer gently.

• 1.5 litres water
• 15 g dried anchovies
• 1 piece (10 g) dried kelp
• 1/2 onion
• 2 cloves garlic

✅ C'est prêt quand : the broth smells deeply savory and has turned a light golden color

Roll and cut the noodles

Dust the work surface generously with flour and roll the dough out into a thin sheet, about 3 mm thick. Dust the top with more flour, fold the sheet loosely a few times, then slice crosswise into noodles about 5 mm wide; unfold and toss them with a little extra flour so they don't clump.

• extra flour, for dusting

✅ C'est prêt quand : the sheet is thin and even, and the cut noodles are separated and lightly floured

Cook noodles and zucchini

Strain the broth, discard the solids, and season it with the soy sauce and salt. Bring it back to a strong boil, shake the excess flour off the noodles (too much flour clouds and thickens the broth), then add the noodles along with the zucchini and simmer, stirring now and then so they don't stick together.

• 2 tbsp soup soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 (about 200 g) zucchini

✅ C'est prêt quand : the noodles are tender and floating, and the zucchini is just soft

Swirl in the egg

Lower the heat so the soup is at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil. Drizzle the beaten egg in slowly in a thin stream while gently stirring the broth in one direction, then stop and let it set for a few seconds before stirring again, so it forms silky ribbons instead of cloudy bits and cooks through.

• 2 eggs

✅ C'est prêt quand : soft, fully cooked egg ribbons float through the clear broth

Serve

Ladle the soup and noodles into deep bowls, scatter the scallions over the top, and finish with a drizzle of sesame oil and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve hot, with gochugaru and extra soy sauce on the table for anyone who wants more heat or seasoning.

• 2 scallions
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• to taste gochugaru