Naengmyeon

Naengmyeon is a traditional Korean summer food. The name means "cold noodles". Naengmyeon’s basic ingredients are flour, a boiled egg, slices of cucumber and slices of boiled meat. Water or gochujang can be added depending on the type of Naengmyeon. There are many kinds of noodles made from wheat, buckwheat, potatoes or sweet potatoes.

History

According to the 19th century writings, it has been made since the Joseon Dynasty. It began as a delicacy in northern Korea. It was popular in the cities of Pyongyang and Hamhung in North Korea. Naengmyeon became widely popular in Korea after the Korean War.

Types

The two main types of naengmyeon are mul naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon. Mul naengmyeon is served as a cold soup with the noodles contained in broth made from beef or chicken. Bibim naengmyeon is served with a spicy dressing made mainly from gochujang (red chili paste).