Bibim Naengmyeon Image Used Under Creative Commons License From zenkimchi.com
Citizens, in Korea during the heat of their (very!) hot Summer, a bowl of Bibim Naengmyeon – cold beef noodles – is a most welcome and delicious respite from the heat!
Naengmyeon is a Korean noodle dish of long and thin handmade noodles made from the flour and the starch of various ingredients.
According to the 19th century documents of Dongguksesigi (동국세시기, 東國歲時記), it has been made since the Joseon Dynasty. Originally a delicacy in northern Korea, especially in the cities of Pyongyang (평양, 平壤) and Hamhung (함흥, 咸興) in North Korea, naengmyeon became widely popular throughout Korea after the Korean War.
Naengmyeon is served in a large stainless-steel bowl with a tangy iced broth, julienned cucumbers, slices of Korean pear, thin, wide strips of lightly pickled radish, and either a boiled egg or slices of cold boiled beef or both.
Spicy mustard sauce (or Mustard oil) and vinegar are often added before consumption. Traditionally, the long noodles would be eaten without cutting, as they symbolized longevity of life and good health, but servers at restaurants usually ask if the noodles should be cut prior to eating, and use scissors to cut the noodles.
Bibim naengmyeon is served with a spicy dressing made primarily from gochujang (red chili paste) and eaten with all the ingredients mixed together. In the case of bibim naengmyeon, a bowl of the beef broth from the boiled beef is often served on the side, albeit hot instead of cold in temperature.
Citziens – this is a delicious Summer dish that I hope you see fit to try! ☺
Battle on – The Generalissimo
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz. package of dried [easyazon_link identifier="B004N3V0Z4" locale="US" tag="t0c5f-20"]naeng myun[/easyazon_link] (the Korean buckwheat noodles can be found at your local Asian market)
- ½ lb. beef brisket
- ***
- Bibim sauce (yields about 1 cup):
- ¼ of a medium-sized onion, roughly chopped (about 2 ounces)
- 2 Tablespoons [easyazon_link identifier="B004JPW9TC" locale="US" tag="t0c5f-20"]kochujang[/easyazon_link] (red pepper paste)
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- ½ Tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ Tablespoon [easyazon_link identifier="B00IJZVWW8" locale="US" tag="t0c5f-20"]shitake mushroom powder[/easyazon_link] (Optional, TFD addition. If not using, use ½ Tablespoon sesame seeds instead)
- ¼ cup [easyazon_link identifier="B00SEIBJQE" locale="US" tag="t0c5f-20"]Korean red pepper powder[/easyazon_link]
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ cup reserved beef broth
- ***
- Toppings:
- 4 teaspoons sesame oil (Kadoya brand strongly preferred)
- ½ cup grated daikon
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 3 perilla (shiso) leaves, finely shredded
- ½ Korean Pear Apple (preferred) or ½ Bosc pear, thinly sliced in 2-inch lengths
- ½ medium English cucumber, peeled, cut in 2-inch sections, halved, and thinly sliced lengthwise
- ***
- 1 tsp. hot mustard powder
- ½ tsp. water
Instructions
- Naeng myun is best eaten from very cold bowls. About 20 minutes prior to eating, place individual metal bowls in the refrigerator or freezer.
- In a small bowl, mix the mustard powder with the water to make a paste, and set aside.
- Soak beef in cold water for about 20-30 minutes to draw out the blood.
- In a medium pot, add enough water to cover the beef. Over high heat, bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer covered for about 2 hours.
- Remove beef from water and let cool. Set aside in the refrigerator and save the reserved broth in a separate container. The beef will be easier to slice thinly once properly chilled.
- In a blender, purée the ingredients for the bibim sauce until smooth. Set aside the mixture, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. This will also allow the flavors of the ingredients to meld together. If you can, it’s ideal if you prepare this the day before, but a couple of hours in the refrigerator before serving is sufficient.
- Preparing the noodles (make this right before serving)
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Cook the noodles for about 2-3 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the noodles by submerging them in cold water in a large pot and draining them in a fine-mesh colander. Repeat this 3 times.
- Loosely separate the noodles into 4 portions in the colander.
- Preparing the bowls:
- Cut beef crosswise with the grain in very thin slices.
- Cut hardboiled egg in half lengthwise.
- Place a mound of noodles in the center of the bowl.
- Spoon about ¼ cup of bibim sauce in the center.
- Drizzle 2 teaspoons of sesame oil over the bowl.
- Fan the sliced pear on one side. Fan the sliced beef on the other side. Place the half of a hardboiled egg in the center. Add all other topping ingredients.
- Allow diners to mix everything together until all the noodles are coated in the sauce. Add mustard sauce, additional vinegar or sesame oil to taste. Serve with the hearted, reserved beef broth in a separate bowl.
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