Mul naengmyeon
물냉면: chewy buckwheat noodles in an icy, tangy beef broth with pear, cucumber and egg
Mul naengmyeon comes from Pyongyang, where it was once a winter dish eaten in heated rooms; after the war, northern cooks opened naengmyeon houses in Seoul, and now it is the first thing people crave on a sticky summer afternoon. The beef broth is served almost frozen, slightly sweet and sharp with vinegar, over long, springy buckwheat noodles. Bottles of vinegar and hot mustard sit on every table so you can adjust each bowl. Plan ahead: the broth needs at least 4 hours in the fridge, or make it the day before. Chef's tip: put the strained broth in the freezer for the last hour, so it turns slushy just as you serve.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the beef broth
To season the broth
To serve
Method
0/12 doneStep 1: Soak 1 ⅛ lb beef brisket or shin in cold water for 20 minutes to draw out some of the blood, which keeps the broth clear. Drain.
20 minStep 2: Put the beef in a large pot with 10 ½ cups water, 1 onion, 7 oz Korean radish (mu) or daikon, 6 cloves garlic, 1 thumb ginger and 2 spring onions. Bring to the boil over a high heat and skim off all the grey foam.
10 minStep 3: Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer gently for 75 minutes, until a skewer slides easily into the beef. The meat should be cooked right through, with no pink in the middle.
75 minStep 4: Lift out the beef and the radish. Wrap the beef tightly in cling film so it doesn't dry out; slice the radish thinly to use as a topping.
Step 5: Strain the broth through a fine sieve lined with kitchen paper. Stir in 2 tbsp Korean soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang), 1 tsp salt, 2 tbsp sugar and 4 tbsp rice vinegar while it is hot, then taste: it should be a little saltier and sharper than you would like it warm, as cold dulls the flavour.
Step 6: Cool the broth quickly: stand the pot in a sink of cold water, then move it into the fridge within 2 hours. Chill the beef too. Leave both for at least 4 hours or overnight. The broth keeps for 2 days in the fridge.
Step 7: Lift off the white fat from the top of the cold broth. Put it in the freezer for 1 hour, stirring once, until ice crystals form.
Step 8: Boil 2 eggs for 10 minutes, cool in cold water, peel and halve. Slice the cold beef as thinly as you can.
10 minStep 9: Cook 1 ⅓ lb dried naengmyeon (buckwheat) noodles in plenty of boiling water following the packet, usually 3 to 4 minutes, stirring so they don't stick.
4 minStep 10: Drain and rinse the noodles under cold running water, rubbing them between your hands, then plunge into a bowl of water with 8 ice cubes. Common mistake: only giving them a quick rinse. The noodles must be completely cold and the starch washed off, or they turn soft and cloud the broth.
Step 11: Twist each portion of noodles into a nest in a chilled bowl. Top with the beef, radish, ½ Asian pear, ½ cucumber and half an egg, then pour the icy broth around the noodles.
Step 12: Serve with 2 tsp Korean hot mustard or English mustard and 2 tbsp rice vinegar so everyone can season their own bowl. Use scissors to cut the long noodles once or twice before eating.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 88 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mul naengmyeon take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 95 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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