Spicy Cold Buckwheat Noodles (Bibim Naengmyeon : 비빔냉면)
Nothing is more refreshing than a chilled bowl of Bibim Naengmyeon, or Korean buckwheat noodles with spicy sauce and toppings. When its hot outside, this dish is pretty hard to beat.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz package of dried Naeng Myeon noodles (Korean buckwheat noodles)
- 1 lb. beef brisket, you can keep this dish vegetarian and omit beef
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- ½ of an English Cucumber cut into matchsticks
- ½ of an Asian Pear cut into matchsticks
- Sesame oil for drizzling
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Quick Pickled Radish:
- 8 ounces Korean radish peeled, halved, and sliced very thinly into half moons
- 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Spicy Bibim Sauce :
- ½ of a small onion roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons Gochujang Korean red pepper paste
- 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons Gochugaru Korean red pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- About ½ cup of reserved cooled beef broth or water
Instructions
*NOTE: Although you can make everything in this recipe in 1 day, It’s best to cook the beef and make the sauce the day before. Not only does the beef take a couple hours to cook, but you can use the resulting chilled broth to make the sauce more flavorful. Likewise, the sauce tastes better made the day before, because the flavors have more time to meld together as it sits in the fridge.
- In a bowl, soak the beef in cold water for about 20 minutes to draw out the blood, then drain. In a medium pot, add enough water to cover the beef. Over high heat, bring to a boil. Skim off any scum that forms. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer covered for about 1 ½- 2 hours, or until tender. Add more water as needed. Remove beef from water and let it cool. Set aside in the refrigerator and save reserved broth in a separate container. Remove any fat that forms. This is easier to do when the broth is chilled.
- In a blender, purée the ingredients for the sauce until smooth. Set aside the mixture, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. If you can’t prepare this sauce the day before, place in the refrigerator for about an hour or two before serving to give the ingredients a chance to meld.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pickling ingredients for the radish (salt, sugar, and vinegar). Add the slices of radish, toss to coat, and set aside for 20 minutes to wilt. Make sure to toss the radish in the liquid occasionally. Rinse with water, and squeeze gently to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
- Cook the noodles only when you’re ready to serve. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Cook the noodles for about 2-3 minutes, until soft, but slightly chewy and elastic. Drain and rinse with cold water well. Hold the noodles in your hands and rub them under the running water, as if you’re doing the laundry by hand. Divide the noodles into 4 piles. It’s okay for the noodles not to be well drained. This will help to thin out the sauce slightly, making it easier to mix with the sauce in the bowl.
- Cut the beef along the grain in very thin slices. Cut hard boiled egg in half lengthwise. Place a mound of noodles in the center of the bowl. Place a pile of pickled radish on one side of the noodles. Next to the radish, fan the sliced beef, and next to the beef, add the julienned pear and cucumber. Leave a space to spoon some of the bibim sauce on top of the noodles. Drizzle with some sesame oil (especially over the beef), and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Add half of a hardboiled egg in the center. Serve immediately.