Corn jelly noodles from scratch (olchaengi-guksu)

Step-by-step cooking

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1. Step 1

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   Allow 25 minutes preparation, 30 minutes flour hydration, about 25 minutes cooking and 30 minutes chilling; tasks can overlap. Prepare a heavy 3 litre saucepan, whisk, sturdy spatula, ladle, thermometer, fine sieve, a stable 5 litre bowl and a heat-safe stainless colander or corn-noodle mold with round holes about 5 mm wide. It must sit securely above the bowl. A fine mesh sieve will not form these noodles. Choose finely milled non-waxy yellow field-corn flour, not white cornstarch, instant polenta, masa harina or sweetcorn kernels. The name refers to the short tapered shape.

2. Step 2

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   Sift 200 g corn flour into the saucepan to remove lumps; discard any foreign material. Do not wash flour. Whisk in 5 small paper cups cold drinking water (900 ml), adding gradually until there are no dry pockets. Cover and leave for 30 minutes at room temperature to hydrate. Measure the separate 90 ml reserve; it is not part of the starting mixture. Meanwhile prepare the vegetables and dressing. Do not taste the uncooked mixture.

3. Step 3

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   Wash the cucumber under running drinking water, trim both ends and cut into matchsticks 5 cm long and 2 mm thick; remove an exceptionally watery seed core first. Trim scallion roots and wilted outer leaves, rinse between the layers, dry and finely slice. Peel the garlic, rinse, dry and mince finely. Drain the ready-to-eat kimchi without rinsing, then measure 80 g and chop into 1 cm pieces on a clean board. Keep the cucumber and kimchi refrigerated. Cut the optional roasted gim into thin strips with clean scissors.

4. Step 4

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   In a clean small bowl, dissolve 1 level teaspoon sugar in 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar. Stir in the minced garlic, sliced scallion and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Add the optional ½ teaspoon gochugaru if wanted. This is the dressing; keep it separate from the corn paste. The ¼ teaspoon salt belongs in the paste, not in this bowl. Cover the dressing while cooking.

5. Step 5

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   Whisk the settled corn mixture again and stir in ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat for about 5–7 minutes, stirring and scraping the entire base continuously as it thickens. When slow bubbles begin to break through, lower the heat and cook 12–15 minutes, stirring firmly so it does not scorch. It should become glossy and fall from the spatula in heavy, short ribbons, not run like soup. If too stiff to stir, add reserved water 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 90 ml. If watery, continue on low in 2–3 minute intervals. Taste only a cooled spoonful after cooking: it must not feel dry or chalky.

6. Step 6

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   Turn off the heat and rest the paste covered for 5 minutes; it must remain warm and pressable. Put 10 small paper cups cold drinking water (1800 ml, 4°C or colder) in the large bowl. Support the metal mold securely with its holes 2–3 cm above the water. Wearing heatproof gloves, press just 1 tablespoon paste through with a spatula. Wait 1 minute: the short yellow pieces should hold together but be soft. If they dissolve, return the paste to low heat for 3–5 minutes and test again. If it will not pass through, stir in 1 tablespoon reserve water if any remains. Never press hot paste with bare hands.

7. Step 7

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   Work with roughly one ladle, 100–150 ml paste, at a time. Press downward with the spatula through the holes so pieces fall freely into the water. Move the mold slightly between presses; do not mash noodles already in the bowl. Short tapered pieces about 2–4 cm long are intended, not long elastic wheat noodles. After half the paste, let the formed noodles set in water for 5 minutes. Lift gently with a slotted spoon, drain for 20 seconds and spread in a shallow clean container in the refrigerator. Discard the first forming water, refill with the remaining fresh 1800 ml cold drinking water, and form the rest in the same way.

8. Step 8

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   Let the second batch set for 5 minutes, lift and drain gently, then chill it with the first batch. Refrigerate the shallow containers for about 30 minutes, until the noodles are 4°C or colder; allow longer if the thermometer requires it. Do not pile warm noodles into one deep covered tub or leave them on the counter to cool. Divide between two bowls and top with the cold cucumber and kimchi. Keep dressing and optional gim and sesame separate until serving.

9. Step 9

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   Spoon about 1 tablespoon dressing over each bowl first and offer the rest at the table; add the optional gim and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds divided between both bowls. Fold very gently and eat immediately with a spoon. The noodles should be cool, soft and slightly grainy with a corn aroma; short broken ends are normal. Do not toss vigorously or expect a chewy pasta texture. This version is dressed, without a separate soup broth.