Deulkkae Sujebi (Perilla Hand-Torn Noodle Soup)

How to make it

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix 4.6 oz of flour, 2.3 oz of potato starch, and 5 g of salt, then work in 100 ml of water a little at a time and knead it into one mass.

   · The potato starch makes it chewier than ordinary sujebi.

2. 2

   Rest the dough

   Wrap it in plastic or cling film and rest it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

   · Resting settles the gluten, so the dough stretches thin and turns chewy.

3. 3

   Start the broth

   Pour 500 ml of water into a pot and bring it to a hard boil.

4. 4

   Tear in the dough

   Once the water boils, tear the dough thin with your hands and drop the pieces in.

   · Tearing it thin lets it cook through evenly.

5. 5

   Stir in the perilla

   When the sujebi floats up, slake 2.1 oz of ground perilla seeds in a little of the broth first, then stir it in so it goes in without lumps.

6. 6

   Season and finish

   Season with 5 g of salt and 4 g of MSG seasoning and simmer 3 to 5 minutes more over medium-low heat. Adding 15 g of milk or non-dairy cream at the end makes the broth noticeably smoother.

   · The milk or cream is the kick in this dish — it makes the broth noticeably smoother.

No coming back

Things that actually went wrong over 20 years in a kitchen.

• Adding the ground perilla dry makes it clump.
• Boiling hard for a long time separates the perilla oil and turns the broth chalky.
• Tearing the dough thick leaves the inside undercooked.

You can fix this

If it hasn't burned or stuck to the pan, it can still be fixed.

• If the broth is too salty, add cold water or more ice. The ice thins it further as it melts, so it should taste slightly salty when you serve it.

Storage

The broth keeps 2 days refrigerated. Eat the sujebi as soon as it goes in.