Korean Cold Noodles

With the temperatures being as high as they are, why not eat some cold noodles? Not only are these noodles quick, easy, and tasty, they're (as the name would imply) cold! The materials and methods reflect what I made, but you could certainly modify the recipe to suit your palate and desires. I'm told by James that these noodles and sauce aren't authentic, but my thinking is "if it tastes good, that's close enough!"

Traditional Korean cold noodles, or naengmyeon, are made from long, thin noodles, usually buckwheat, but potentially potatoes, sweet potatoes, arrowroot, or kudzu. Sometimes they even add things like green tea or seaweed! Korean cold noodles originated from North Korea, especially around Pyongyang and Hamhung, but it became popular throughout Korea after the Korean War.

Naengmyeon can be divided into two categories - mul naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon. Mul naengmyeon is served in a cold soup, and bibim naengmyeon (the kind I made) is mixed with a sauce and then eaten (like spaghetti). Traditionally, it's made with a very spicy sauce using gochujang. I was originally going to add it at the end so each person could use only as much as they wanted, but then James said Korean cold noodles aren't spicy, so I didn't end up using any - or maybe I'm just a pansy. . . who knows?


Korean Cold Noodles by Morsels of Life
(printable version)
A new, light, and refreshing take on Korean cold noodles flavored with a sweet sesame sauce.

Prep time: 7 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes + cooling time
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

• 8 ounces noodles (Buckwheat is traditional.)
• 2 tablespoons gochujang (optional)
• 2 tablespoons vinegar (Rice vinegar is traditional.)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Optional Toppings:

• Asian pear, thick julienne
• cucumbers, thick julienne
• carrots, thick julienne
• green onions, sliced
• hard boiled eggs, sliced
• perilla (sesame) leaves, thinly sliced
• kim chi

Methods:

1. Cook noodles following package directions.
2. Meanwhile, mix gochujang, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and sesame oil together, and set aside.
3. Once noodles are finished cooking, drain and rinse with cold water.
4. Toss noodles with sauce, and refrigerate until ready to eat.
5. Serve, and then top with toppings.

This post is linked to: Recipe Sharing Monday