The real ones already know how obsessed I am with mul naengmyeon.
This is my favorite dish OF. ALL. TIME. Mul naengmyeon is a cold Korean noodle dish that’s traditionally made with chilled beef broth and/or dongchimi broth which is the liquid that comes from white radish kimchi (I have a recipe for it here). The noodles are thin chewy noodles made with buckwheat or arrowroot which created the bounciest texture and great for slurping!
Traditionally, this is a dish eaten in the winter time but it just hits different in the hot summer months with the icy cold broth. My favorite way to eat this is with some grilled galbi or bulgogi on the side and wrap the the meat with the noodles to eat together (I’m drooling just thinking about it).
So to summarize, everything about this cold noodle dish I LOVE:
*tangy and vinegary
*refreshing
*depth from the beef broth
*mustard punch
*the chewiest noodles
*goes great with kbbq
*never let me down
Some tips from the kitchen:
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You must add hot mustard and vinegar to make this dish complete! It’s normally added at the table so everyone can add as much as they’d like in their own bowl.
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If you don’t have time to make the broth slushy, just add a couple ice cubes to the broth. I personally don’t like doing this because it’ll water it down, but it works when you’re in a time crunch! Or just make sure the broth is super super cold.
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You can make the pickles ahead of time and keep them in the fridge. They make for a great side dish and they last for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
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This might be a hot take or a weird personal preference but I love adding just a splash of sesame oil into the broth. It really brings out the umami of the beef and balances the tanginess of the vinegar and dongchimi.
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The bowl that you see in most restaurants when you order naengmyeon is an insulated stainless steel bowl that keeps the broth icy cold as you eat it.
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If you don’t have the time or space to make the dongchimi, they make some really great packaged naengmyeon broths! They normally come with the pack of noodles anyway. I’ll add a little bit to my broth just to add a little oomph but when I was living with roommates and didn’t have room in the fridge, I always had a pack or two in the pantry! These are a couple of my faves that can be found on Amazon or in Asian grocery stores.
Ingredients
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1/2 lb. brisket (I’m using flank though)
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6 cups water
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1/2 tbsp. salt
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1/2 tbsp. sugar
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1 tbsp. rice vinegar
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1 cup dongchimi broth (radish water kimchi)
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12 oz. (~360 g) buckwheat or arrowroot noodles (6 oz. per person)
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1 boiled egg
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Asian pear, for garnish
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Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
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Hot mustard, optional
Pickles
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1 small cucumber, sliced
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1/4 Korean radish or daikon, sliced
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1/2 tbsp. salt
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1/2 tbsp. sugar
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1 tsp. rice vinegar
Instructions
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To a medium pot, add beef and water. Simmer on low for 30 minutes skimming the impurities and skum off the top. Strain into an ice bath and chill.
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Season the beef broth with salt, sugar, rice vinegar, and dongchimi broth. Freeze for 2-3 hours to make it slushy (make sure you don’t freeze it for too long! You want it to be slightly icy)
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Make the pickles while you wait by adding cucumbers, radishes, salt, sugar, and vinegar into a bowl. The pickles will last for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
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Cook the noodles according to packaged instructions and rinse thoroughly under cold water. You want to make sure the water runs clear like you would wash rice.
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Arrange the noodles into a bowl, top with a boiled egg, asian pear slices, pickles, toasted sesame seeds, and slushy broth. Add in hot mustard and extra vinegar to your liking!
Mul Naengmyeon (Cold Noodle Soup)
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. Brisket or flank steak
- 6 cups Water
- 1/2 tbsp. Salt
- 1/2 tbsp. Sugar
- 1 tbsp. Rice vinegar
- 1 cup Dongchimi broth radish water kimchi
- 12 oz. ~360 g Buckwheat noodles or Arrowroot 6 oz. per serving
- 1 Boiled egg
- Asian pear sliced for garnish
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
- Hot mustard optional
Pickles
- 1 small Cucumber sliced
- 1/4 Korean radish or daikon sliced
- 1/2 tbsp. Salt
- 1/2 tbsp. Sugar
- 1 tsp. Rice vinegar
Instructions
- To a medium pot, add beef and water. Simmer on low for 30 minutes skimming the impurities and skum off the top. Strain into an ice bath and chill.
- Season the beef broth with salt, sugar, rice vinegar, and dongchimi broth. Freeze for 2-3 hours to make it slushy (make sure you don’t freeze it for too long! You want it to be slightly icy)
- Make the pickles while you wait by adding cucumbers, radishes, salt, sugar, and vinegar into a bowl. The pickles will last for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
- Cook the noodles according to packaged instructions and rinse thoroughly under cold water. You want to make sure the water runs clear like you would wash rice.
- Arrange the noodles into a bowl, top with a boiled egg, asian pear slices, pickles, toasted sesame seeds, and slushy broth. Add in hot mustard and extra vinegar to your liking!