RECIPE: Mul Naengmyeon

Made from buckwheat, these noodles are springy and chewy – a completely different texture to the soft somyun vermicelli noodles typically used in Korean soups. I like to add loads of vinegar and mustard to the ice cold broth here, often so much that it makes me suck in my cheeks and gives me a severe case of ‘mustard nose’.

250g (9oz) naengmyeon buckwheat noodles
10 ice cubes, crushed
½ Asian pear, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
150g (5½oz) beef frying steak, thinly sliced and cooked
to your liking
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

BROTH
1 litre (1¾ pints) beef stock
3 whole garlic cloves
2-cm (¾-inch) piece of fresh root ginger, whole
1 spring onion, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoons apple vinegar

SAUCE
½ Asian pear, peeled, cored and puréed
1 spring onion, trimmed and fi nely sliced
1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red chilli powder)
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon apple vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-cm (½-inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and very
fi nely chopped
½ teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

TO SERVE
English mustard
apple vinegar

1 Put all the broth ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over a medium heat for 10 minutes, then strain the broth through a sieve. Pour the strained broth into a large bowl and leave in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until cooled.

2 While the stock is chilling, mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

3 Cook the noodles in boiling water according to the packet instructions, then drain well and rinse under cold water.

4 Divide the ice cubes, noodles, pear and steak between two serving bowls, then pour half of the chilled stock over each.

5 Halve the eggs and arrange on top of the noodles. Spoon over the sauce and serve with English mustard and apple vinegar for adding to the broth as you like.

Extract from K Food: Korean Home Cooking and Street Food available here.