JUNE -
Mul Naengmyeon
California is notorious for its summer heat—expected to reach record-breaking highs this season as an unfortunate result of global warming. But this summer, you can beat the heat with our monthly recipe, naengmyeon.
What is Naengmyeon?
Naengmyeon is a type of cold noodle eaten in Korea during the summer. Unlike most noodles which use hot broth, naengmyeon uses cold broth to beat the summer heat. There are two types of naengmyeon: mul naengmyeon (물냉면) and bibim naengmyeon (비빔냉면). Mul naengmyeon is served in a clear broth of beef and/or dongchimi. Bibim naengmyeon is served with a red, spicy sauce. This recipe will make mul naengmyeon in a beef broth.
Ingredients:
Beef Broth
* 1/2 pound (230 grams) beef brisket (양지머리)
* 1/2 medium onion
* 6 cloves of garlic
* 3 thin ginger slices (about 1 inch round)
* 2 large scallion white parts
* 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
* 2 tablespoons soup soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* salt
Noodles
* 2 servings of naengmyeon noodles
* 1 boiled egg, cut into halves
* 1/2 Korean cucumber (or 1 kirby cucumber)
* Vinegar
* Hot mustard paste
Directions:
1. 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.
2. 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). 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Split the noodles into servings now. 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.
Recipe found on koreanbapsang.com
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