Mul Naengmyeon (Korean Cold Noodles)
Mul naengmyeon is served ice cold - like actually icy with slush forming around the edges - which sounds weird until you try it on a hot day. The broth is half beef stock, half dongchimi (radish kimchi) brine, and you have to season it after it's cold because cold mutes all the flavors.
Ingredients
For the Beef Broth
- 2 lbs beef brisket
- 1/2 lb Korean radish
- 1 small onion
- 8 green onion roots white parts
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons dashida Korean beef bouillon
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 8 cups water
For the Quick Radish Kimchi
- 1 lb Korean radish peeled & thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons gochugaru
For the Final Broth & Assembly
- 4-8 cups dongchimi broth
- 1 lb naengmyeon noodles chik-naengmyeon is recommended
- Light brown sugar to taste
- Low-sodium soy sauce to taste
- Thinly sliced cucumber
- 2 hard-boiled eggs halved
- Crushed sesame seeds
- White vinegar
- Korean yellow mustard paste optional
Instructions
- Soak brisket in cold water for 30 minutes.
- Combine brisket, radish, onion, green onion roots, garlic, dashida, peppercorns, and water in large pot.
- Simmer for 2 hours until meat is tender.
- Mix sliced radish with vinegar, sugar, salt, and gochugaru for quick kimchi. Set aside.
- Strain broth and skim fat. Cool and slice brisket against grain.
- Mix beef broth with dongchimi broth in equal parts.
- Freeze broth mixture until slushy, about 2 hours.
- Season cold broth with soy sauce and brown sugar to taste.
- Cook naengmyeon noodles 2-3 minutes, rinse in ice water.
- Divide noodles between bowls. Top with brisket, quick kimchi, cucumber, egg halves, sesame seeds.
- Pour icy broth over noodles and serve immediately.
Notes
Serve with extra vinegar and Korean mustard paste on the side for customizing.