Bibim Naengmyeon (Spicy Cold Noodles)
Naengmyeon is a popular Korean spicy cold noodles made with buckwheat flour, served chilled. Paired with bibim naengmyeon sauce, these chewy noodles are a beloved summer favorite in Korea.
Ingredients
- 8 servings Korean naengmyeon noodles
- 1 Asian cucumber sliced to thin matchsticks
- 1/2 Korean pear or Asian pear thinly sliced, optional
- 4 hard boiled eggs sliced in half
Optional beef broth
- 4 cup water
- 1 cup lemon lime flavored carbonated soda
- 2 tbsp Korean beef bouillon powder (sogogi dashida)
- 4 tsp Korean mustard or 2 tbsp dijon mustard
Quick radish pickles
- 1/2 Korean radish or daikon radish cut into 1/2-inch wide, 2-inch long thin strips
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp vinegar
Bibim naengmyeon sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 apple peeled and diced
- 1/2 medium onion peeled and diced
- 5 oz (150 g) fresh pineapple or 3 rings of canned pineapple
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tbsp water or pineapple juice
- 1 cup Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1/4 cup white vinegar or more
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 4 tbsp Korean syrup or 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tsp ginger puree or 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp Korean mustard or 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
To make optional beef broth
- In a zip-top bag, whisk together water, carbonated drink, beef bouillon powder, and mustard. Seal the bag tightly and lay it flat in the freezer for 1-2 hours until it becomes partially frozen.
To make naengmyeon sauce
- In a small pot, combine soy sauce and water. Bring it to a full boil over high heat, then remove from the heat and let it cool.
- In a blender, combine onion, garlic, apple, pineapple, and 3 tablespoons of water. Puree until smooth.
- Transfer the puree into a mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce mixture, Korean chili flakes, brown sugar, Korean corn syrup or honey, ginger paste, mustard, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Mix well. Let the sauce chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
To make radish pickles
- Combine thinly sliced radish with salt, sugar, and vinegar in a mixing bowl. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Rinse the radish slices once and firmly squeeze out excess moisture. Set aside.
To cook noodles
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and stir. When the water returns to a boil, add a shot of cold water. Repeat this process until the noodles are soft and chewy according to the package directions. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse them under running cold water. Drain again.
To assemble bibim naengmyeon
- If using naengmyeon broth, crush the partially frozen broth with a meat hammer. Add 1/2 cup of the icy broth to the bottom of the serving bowl.
- Place the cooked noodles in the bowl and add about 6-8 tablespoons of the bibim naengmyeon sauce on top. Garnish the dish with pickled radish, cucumber, Korean pear (if desired), and a hard or soft-boiled egg. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the dish according to your preference. Enjoy your homemade bibim naengmyeon!
Nutrition
Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 2818mg | Potassium: 897mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 8925IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 8mg