Sujebi

Sujebi is a traditional Korean soup made with hand-torn wheat dough flakes cooked with vegetables in a broth of dried anchovies, shellfish and kelp. It is considered a dish for rainy days and remains a common everyday meal in South Korea.

History

Koreans were eating wheat-flour soups and noodle dishes as early as the beginning of the Goryeo period (935-1392). The name sujebi, however, dates from the middle of the Joseon period and is built from two Sino-Korean words: su (手, 'hand') and jeop (摺, 'folded' or 'folding'), referring to the way the dough is torn by hand.

From the Joseon period onward, several variants of sujebi were developed for different purposes, and the dish came to be associated with the working class. In the past it was relatively rare and served on special occasions such as feasts (janchi), for example the celebration of a child's first birthday (dol janchi).

In North Korea the dish is known as ttŭdŏguk, or milgaru ddeudeo guk, a name combining the words for 'wheat flour', 'torn' and 'soup'. Names also vary across the regions of Korea.

Culture

Sujebi is part of everyday Korean cooking and is linked to rainy days, alongside bindaetteok, a mung bean pancake. Its broth is made by simmering dried anchovies, shellfish and kelp for hours to build a deep umami flavour. Torn dough flakes are added along with zucchini, potato or other vegetables, and sometimes kimchi.

It is closely related to kalguksu, which shares a similar broth and method but uses noodles instead of wheat flakes. Today sujebi is still found in home kitchens and popular restaurants, where it is eaten as a comforting meal.