Naengmyun

Naengmyun, aka Korean Cold Noodles

When it comes to naengmyun… I might be a bit of a snob. Naengmyun is one of those foods that I won’t get at most restaurants, even in Korea, because I’m very particular.

The most important factor to making good naengmyun is a clear, delicate broth. While I don’t believe in the “less is more” approach to many foods, naengmyun is the one food that I think borders on plain and delicate. The broth should never overpower the noodles and feel light to enjoy on a hot summer day. 

For those who have never tried naengmyun before, I would say it’s a dish that takes practice to appreciate. It’s a dish that won’t surprise you with a pack of flavor, but a dish that you’ll keep thinking about and crave on a hot summer day.

The recipe I made today is inspired by a restaurant in Jangchoongdong, Seoul, called Pyongyang Myunok. It’s an authentic North Korean style naengmyun that’s beloved by many generations in Seoul. It's also on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list for 2020. 

Ingredients

700g beef rump steak (the leaner the better!)

1.5L water 

2 tsp salt 

3 packet naengmyun noodles

3 hard-boiled eggs

spicy mustard and vinegar to taste

**Pickled Radish**

200g or 2 cups daikon

1 tbsp kosher salt 

1 cup sprite

½ tbsp gochugaru 

¼ cup sugar 

¼ cup white distilled vinegar 

Directions

Pickled Radish

1. Peel the daikon using a vegetable or potato peeler. Daikon skin has a bitter aftertaste, so it’s crucial you peel before cooking with it!
2. Shave off the daikon using a vegetable peeler to make thin ribbons. Make sure to rotate the daikon to have evenly shaped sizes. 
3. Add the salt to the radish. Mix to combine.
4. Brine the radish for 30 minutes. 
5. After 30 minutes, rinse the radish under cold water. Squeeze out any excess moisture. 
6. Add the rest of the ingredients. Store in an airtight container and pickle for 1 day. 

Broth

1. In a large pressure cooker, add the beef and water together. 
2. Close the cooker and bring to high pressure, then cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Make sure to depressurize before opening by using the pressure release valve. 
3. Skim any visible fat and skum. Season with salt.
4. Cool to room temperature and chill overnight. 
5. Skim any fat— if using a very lean cut of beef, there should be none at all!
6. Sieve out any impurities using a cheesecloth.

Assembly

1. Cook the noodles to the package directions.
2. Rinse the noodles thoroughly in running cold water until the water runs clear.
3. Squeeze any excess moisture from the noodles. Twirl the noodles to a ball shape. 
4. Put the drained pickled radish, sliced beef, and hard boiled egg on top. Pour the broth on the side and add vinegar and spicy mustard (yeon gyeoja) to your liking. Enjoy!
   

Naengmyun

4 from 41 votes

Recipe by Doobydobap Course: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: KoreanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

3

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

It’s a dish that won’t surprise you with a pack of flavor, but a dish that you’ll keep thinking about and crave on a hot

Ingredients

• 700 g beef rump steak

• 1.5 L water

• 2 tsp salt

• 3 packets naengmyun noodles

• 3 hard-boiled eggs

• spicy mustard and vinegar to taste

• **Pickled Radish

• 200 g or 2 cups daikon

• 1 tbsp kosher salt

• 1 cup sprite

• ½ tbsp gochugaru

• ¼ cup sugar

• ¼ cup white distilled vinegar

instructions

• Pickled Radish
• Peel the daikon using a vegetable or potato peeler. Daikon skin has a bitter aftertaste, so it’s crucial you peel before cooking with it!
• Shave off the daikon using a vegetable peeler to make thin ribbons. Make sure to rotate the daikon to have evenly shaped sizes. 
• Add the salt to the radish. Mix to combine.
• Brine the radish for 30 minutes. 
• After 30 minutes, rinse the radish under cold water. Squeeze out any excess moisture. 
• Add the rest of the ingredients. Store in an airtight container and pickle for 1 day. 
• Broth
• In a large pressure cooker, add the beef and water together. 
• Close the cooker and bring to high pressure, then cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Make sure to depressurize before opening by using the pressure release valve. 
• Skim any visible fat and skum. Season with salt.
• Cool to room temperature and chill overnight. 
• Skim any fat— if using a very lean cut of beef, there should be none at all!
• Sieve any impurities in the broth using a cheesecloth
• Assembly
• Cook the noodles to the package directions.
• Rinse the noodles thoroughly in running cold water until the water runs clear.
• Squeeze any excess moisture from the noodles. Twirl the noodles to a ball shape.
• Put the drained pickled radish, sliced beef, and hard boiled egg on top. Pour the broth on the side and add vinegar and spicy mustard (yeon gyeoja) to your liking. Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @doobydobap on Instagram and hashtag it #doobydobap dontyuckmyyum

Like this recipe?

Follow us @doobydobap on Pinterest

Recent recipes

5 Ingredient Jjajang Sauce

Recipe 5 Ingredient Jjajang Sauce Dark, saucy, glossy, and meaty. The quintessential Chinese-Korean sauce better than takeaway. Written by Doobydobap Jump to recipe 5 Ingredient

Brown Butter Soy Caramel Cookies

Recipe Brown Butter Soy Caramel Cookies The key take away of this cookie recipe is the nuttiness of the brown butter and the salty umami

Cheesy Cabbage Roll Katsu

It's too OP

Three Chili Mapo Tofu (Vegan)

Spicy and Zingy