📝 About This Recipe
Sujebi is the ultimate Korean soul food, featuring chewy, hand-torn dough flakes swimming in a clean, umami-rich anchovy and kelp broth. Historically a humble rainy-day staple, this dish celebrates the rustic beauty of 'imperfect' textures and the deep warmth of home cooking. Each spoonful offers a harmonious blend of tender squash, earthy potatoes, and the satisfying bite of fresh, homemade noodles.
🥗 Ingredients
The Dough
- 2 cups All-purpose flour (sifted)
- 3/4 cup Water (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil (adds elasticity and sheen)
- 1/2 teaspoon Fine sea salt
The Anchovy Broth
- 10-12 pieces Dried large anchovies (heads and guts removed to prevent bitterness)
- 1 piece Dried Kelp (Dashima) (approx. 4x4 inches)
- 7-8 cups Water
- 2 pieces Dried Shiitake mushrooms (optional, for extra depth)
Vegetables and Seasoning
- 1 medium Potato (peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch half-moons)
- 1/2 piece Zucchini (Ae-hobak) (sliced into matchsticks)
- 1/2 medium Onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 tablespoon Garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon Soup soy sauce (Guk-ganjang) (for color and salt)
- 1 teaspoon Fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance sauce)
- 2 stalks Green onions (chopped diagonally)
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper (freshly ground)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, vegetable oil, and 3/4 cup of water. Stir with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
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2
Knead the dough by hand for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticks to your hands. This develops the gluten for that signature 'chewy' Sujebi texture.
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3
Place the dough in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap. Let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) to relax the gluten.
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4
While the dough rests, prepare the broth. Place the dried anchovies, kelp, and dried shiitake in a large pot with 8 cups of water.
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5
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, remove the kelp (to prevent the broth from becoming slimy) and lower the heat to medium-low.
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6
Simmer the anchovies and mushrooms for another 15-20 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and return the clear liquid to the pot.
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7
Add the sliced potatoes and onions to the broth. Bring it back to a gentle boil and cook for 5 minutes until the potatoes begin to soften.
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8
Season the broth with soup soy sauce, fish sauce, and minced garlic. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
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9
Take the dough out of the fridge. Dip your fingers in a little cold water to prevent sticking. Pull off small, bite-sized pieces of dough, stretching them as thin as possible before dropping them into the boiling soup.
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10
Work quickly so the dough pieces cook evenly. Stir occasionally to ensure the pieces don't stick to each other or the bottom of the pot.
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11
Once all the dough is in, add the zucchini and green onions. Boil for another 3-5 minutes until the dough flakes float to the surface and look translucent.
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12
Finish with a dash of black pepper. Ladle the hot soup into deep bowls, ensuring everyone gets a generous portion of potatoes and chewy dough.
💡 Chef's Tips
For the chewiest texture, knead the dough longer than you think you need to; the smoother the dough, the better the bite. If you don't have soup soy sauce, use regular soy sauce sparingly as it can darken the broth too much. Always remove the internal organs (the black 'guts') of the large dried anchovies, or your broth will have a bitter aftertaste. To make it spicy, add a teaspoon of Korean red chili flakes (Gochugaru) or a chopped Cheongyang chili pepper during the final boil. Try to pull the dough pieces as thin as possible; thick chunks will be doughy, while thin, irregular pieces capture the broth perfectly.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of well-fermented, sour Napa cabbage kimchi for a bright acidic contrast. A side of Korean seasoned spinach (Sigeumchi-namul) adds a lovely nutritional balance. Pair with a glass of chilled Barley Tea (Boricha) to cleanse the palate between bites. For a complete meal, serve alongside a crispy Korean Seafood Pancake (Haemul Pajeon). Offer a small dish of soy sauce with chopped chilies and vinegar for those who like to dip their dough pieces.