Roy Choi’s Cold Bibim Noodle Salad and MAGIC Sauce

The legendary cook Roy Choi takes us inside his mama’s kitchen on the latest episode of Your Mama’s Kitchen. It was a space where something was always boiling.sizzling, drying, fermenting and whirring in the blender

(It’s why he says his milk shakes always tasted  faintly like kimchi 🤣🤣)

It’s war made him the standout chef he is today and he is sharing all that wisdom in a new cookbook called The Choi of Cooking.

I love that cookbook. It’s part memoir, part life advice book and a full on tutorial for delicious grub.  And I LOVED our conversation and I know you will too.

 Listen, and as always, let us know whatcha think!

COLD BIBIM NOODLE SALAD

I didn’t grow up eating a bowl of lettuces and other raw greens as a meal. A little handful of cold noodles, a savory sauce, and tons of vegetables on top: Now, that was a salad. I’m sharing my version of a salad with you now, so you can make this part of your world of salads, too. It’s a great dish to take on picnics or to work for lunch: Pack everything separately, then toss it all together when you’re ready to eat (which is why we’re calling this bibim noodles: bibim means “mixed” in Korean). Or you can do what teenagers in Korea do and have bibim noodles between work or study sessions or as an afternoon snack. A bowl of these noodles, a few small bites like kimbap and tempura, and you and your friends at 4 p.m. just talking, talking, talking like there’s no tomorrow: That’s the best way to eat this.

MAGIC SAUCE

I grew up with my mom saying this soup or that dish had her magic sauce. But you see, it wasn’t ever the same sauce, except it kind of was. That magic sauce changed constantly; it was never the same twice. She was truly concocting magic in her blender. This is my version, and it’s my homage to Mom. Like hers, this sauce goes everywhere.When you’re on your own, spoon it over some roast vegetables or toss it with some rice. Make enough for now and the rest of the week because you’re going to use it.

Ingredients

Serves: 5 or 6

1 pound somen noodles (see Get In Where You Fit In)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic Pinch of salt

1 cup Magic Sauce (recipe follows)

Toppings

2 to 3 Persian (mini) cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 head romaine lettuce, shredded

1 bunch perilla leaves, thinly sliced (see Get In Where You Fit In)

1 cup chopped kimchi Toasted sesame seeds

For the MAGIC Sauce

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

1 cup gochugaru

½ cup gochujang

½ cup chopped yellow onion

½ cup beef broth or water

6 tablespoons fish sauce

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup toasted sesame oil

1½ tablespoons chopped garlic

1½ tablespoons soy sauce

STEP 1

Cook the noodles according to the package directions and let cool completely.

STEP 2

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, minced garlic, and salt. Set aside.

STEP 3

To serve, add a handful of noodles to each serving bowl and spoon about 2 tablespoons

of the Magic Sauce right on top. You can add the toppings to the bowls any way you

want. I place the sliced cucumbers and shredded romaine right on top of the sauce,

followed by ribbons of perilla and a pile of kimchi. Finally, I very lightly drizzle the

sesame oil/garlic mixture over the bowl and garnish with toasted sesame seeds all over.

However you build your bowls, serve them with the rest of the Magic Sauce for the

table, so anyone can add more if they want.

Get In Where You Fit In + Power Up

 Your bowl, your rules. This salad is super customizable, so depending on what you like,

use more or less of any of the things I have, or throw in other vegetables like, say, raw

snap peas or blanched mung bean sprouts, sliced mushrooms, or add soft- boiled eggs

or tofu.

 If you can’t find perilla, you can swap it out for a shiso or mint.

 Somen noodles are very thin Japanese wheat noodles. If you can’t find them, you can

use thin rice noodles, angel hair pasta, soba, or even udon instead.

 Use shirataki noodles, or omit the noodles altogether and outfit your bowl with even

more sliced vegetables.

MAGIC SAUCE

In a blender, combine the gochugaru, gochujang, ½ cup water, onion, beef broth, fish sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and soy sauce. Puree until smooth, then it’s ready to use. Keep it in an airtight jar or container and refrigerate; it’ll keep for at least a month. Note that right out of the fridge, it may be a little thick; you can add a splash of water to loosen it up before using.

Michele’s Kitchen Notes

MAGIC MAGIC MAGIC! Don’t forget the sauce y’all! Thank me later.