Naengmyeon (Cold Noodles)
User Reviews
4.8
96 reviews
Excellent
-
Servings
2
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Course
Main Course, Others
Naengmyeon (Cold Noodles)
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Naengmyeon features thin, chewy buckwheat or wheat noodles served chilled in a flavorful beef broth with sweet and sour radish slices and boiled egg garnish. The radish is pickled simply with vinegar, sugar, and salt for a crisp texture and tang. The broth is prepared from beef brisket simmered with aromatics, offering a savory depth that complements the cold noodles. This dish is a satisfying cold noodles meal balancing sour, sweet, and umami flavors.
Description
Naengmyeon (Cold Noodles) consists of thin, chewy noodles typically made from buckwheat or wheat flour, served in a chilled beef broth seasoned with soy sauce and garlic. The broth is prepared by simmering beef brisket with Korean radish, onion, garlic, ginger, scallions, and peppercorns to develop a rich but clean flavor. After cooking, the brisket is removed and sliced thinly as a topping.
The accompanying radish is sliced thinly and pickled with vinegar, sugar, and salt to create a crisp, refreshing counterpoint to the rich broth and noodles. Additional garnishes include halved boiled egg, cucumber slices, and optionally Korean pear slices. The dish is typically served cold, with the noodles rinsed in cold water and the broth chilled beforehand.
This preparation yields a balance of textures and flavors: the chewy noodles, crisp pickled radish, tender beef slices, and the savory, slightly sweet broth. Chilling the bowls before serving helps maintain the cold temperature during eating. Leftover pickled radish can be stored for several weeks but may soften over time.
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Ingredients
For sweet and sour radish (8 servings)
- 1 pound Korean radish mu
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
For beef broth (makes about 10 cups - 4 servings)
- 1/2 pound beef brisket 230 grams, 양지머리
- 6 ounces Korean radish aka mu (무
- 1/2 onion medium
- 6 cloves garlic
- 3 ginger about 1 inch round, thin slices
- 2 scallions white parts; large
- 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce soup type
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt to taste
For optional dongchimi broth
- See my quick dongchimi recipe.
For noodles - either type of naengmyeon (2 servings)
- 2 naengmyeon noodles servings
- 1 egg cut into halves, boiled
- 1/2 cucumber or 1 kirby cucumber, Korean
- 2 Korean pear thin half-moon shape slices; optional
- vinegar
- mustard hot, paste
For bibim naengmyeon sauce (2 servings)
- 4 tablespoons gochugaru finely ground
- 4 tablespoons beef broth or water
- 3 tablespoons Korean pear or apple; grated
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup or use more sugar
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- sesame oil to drizzle over the noodles
Instructions
Sweet and sour radish
- Clean the radish by scrubbing with a brush and/or scratching off the stubborn impurities with a knife. Cut the radish crosswise into 2 to 3 inch pieces if long. Place cut side down and slice lengthwise as thin as you can. Gather the slices and cut into about 3/4-inch strips. You can use a mandoline to thinly slice, if available.
- Add the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix well by hand until the sugar is dissolved. Taste and add more vinegar or sugar to taste.
Mul Naengmyeon
- In a large pot, bring the meat, onion, scallions, garlic, ginger and peppercorns to a boil, uncovered, in 14 cups of water. Reduce the heat to medium to medium low to keep it at medium boil, and skim off the scum. Continue to boil, covered, until the meat is tender, about 1 hour. Stir in soup soy sauce with 10 minutes remaining. Remove the meat and cool. Discard the vegetables. Cool the broth.
- Pour 5 cups of the broth to a bowl (about 2-1/2 cups per serving). Stir in one teaspoon of sugar and salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon). You can add 1 or 2 cups of dongchimi broth, if available, and reduce the beef broth by the same amount. Also use less salt. Keep it in the freezer for an hour or two until the broth becomes slushy. Keep the remaining broth in the fridge or freezer for later use.
- Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Thinly slice crosswise, lightly sprinkle with salt, and let it sit until the cucumber slices are wilted. Thinly slice the beef against the grain. Thinly slice the pear into a half-moon shape if using.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath while water is boiling. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain quickly and shock in the ice water to stop cooking. Drain and rinse again in icy cold water until the noodles are very cold.
- Make two one-serving size mounds, placing in a colander to drain.
- Place one serving of noodles in the middle of the serving bowl and top with the pickled radish, slices of beef, cucumber, and pear if using, and the egg half. Pour one half of the icy broth around the noodles. Repeat for another serving. Serve with vinegar and hot mustard paste on the side.
Bibim naengmyeon
- Mix all sauce ingredients and keep it cool in the fridge. You can do this ahead of time.
- See mul naengmyeon above for cooking noodles and preparing the toppings. For bibim naengmyeon, slice or julienne the cucumber and do not salt.
- Place the noodles in the middle of the serving bowl, and drizzle 1 teaspoon of sesame oil over the noodles. Top with the pickled radish, cucumber slices, pear slices, sliced beef if available, and the egg half. Drop in a few ice cubes so the dish can stay cool while eating. You can add 1/4 cup of beef broth, if available, to the bottom of the bowl. The sauce can be served on top or separately. Serve with vinegar and hot mustard on the side.
Notes
- Leftover pickled radish can be used as a side dish and will keep well for a couple of weeks, though it may soften afterwards.
- Chilling serving bowls in the freezer helps keep the noodles and broth cold while eating.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
96 reviews
Excellent
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