Cold Soy Milk Noodle Soup (Kongguksu)

Ingredients

• dried soybeans — washed and soaked in cold water overnight90 g
• toasted sesame seeds18 g
• pine nuts18 g
• somyeon — thin wheat noodles225 g
• kosher salt — 1 ½ tsp9 g
• egg — hard-boiled, shelled and cut into 8 pieces1 ea
• cucumber — cut into matchsticks60 g
• small tomato — sliced1 ea

Method

1. Make the soy milk: strain the soaked beans and add them to a heavy pot with 480 ml water. Cook for 15 minutes over medium-high heat, uncovered. Then cover and simmer for another 5 minutes over low heat.
2. Remove from the heat. Uncover, stir and let them cool down for 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the beans and their cooking water (about 120 ml) to a blender. Add 720 ml cold water, the pine nuts and the sesame seeds.
4. Blend at high speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until everything is smooth and creamy. Refrigerate the soy milk in an airtight container for up to 24 hours until you're ready to make kongguksu.
5. Cook the noodles: bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the noodles and stir so they don't stick together. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes; if it boils over, stir and crack the lid. Taste a sample: there shouldn't be anything hard inside.
6. Transfer the noodles to a large strainer and rinse them in cold running water, gently rubbing them between your palms until they are cold and not slippery. Divide into 2 portions, gently squeeze out excess water and put them into 2 large shallow bowls.
7. Add the salt to the cold soy milk and stir it in well, adjusting to taste.
8. Pour the soy milk over the noodles in each bowl. Top with the cucumber, egg and tomato, and add a few ice cubes if you like. Serve right away with kimchi and a few more side dishes.