{"id":35306,"title":"Authentic Mul-Naengmyeon","modified":"2025-06-24T13:13:00+02:00","plain":"Explore a North Korean classic: cold noodles in a refreshing beef broth\n\n\n\nThe spoon clinks against metal, quiet and free of steam. You lift the bowl to your lips, breathe in a faint buckwheat aroma, then take that first icy sip: a broth so clear you could mistake it for melted snow, yet it hums with a whisper of beef fat and a tang of radish kimchi. \n\n\n\nThis dish is the polar opposite of Japanese yakisoba\n\n\n\nThe mul-naengmyeon of Pyongyang, added in 2022 to UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage under the name \"Pyongyang Raengmyon custom,\" does not dazzle; it reveals itself quietly. \n\n\n\nIts genius lies in restraint: every element is pared down to the essential, leaving only pure flavor. Over the course of this article, we will travel back to the 19th century, dissect an orthodox bowl, settle modern quarrels about the noodles and the broth, and lay out the key principles for tasting, or crafting, your own icy winter masterpiece.\n\n\n\nFrom a winter solstice dish to UNESCO heritage\n\n\n\nKorean chronicler Hong Seok-mo noted in the Dongguk Sesigi of 1849 that Pyongyang families slurped cold noodles at the winter solstice, when freshly buried jars of dongchimi radish yielded a sparkling brine. In the North, the dish came to embody two graces: longevity - the noodles arrive whole, daring you to \"eat life\" in one stretch, and hospitality - the host who shares precious winter beef. \n\n\n\nAnother lesser known Korean dish: gochu twigim\n\n\n\nIn the 1940s, poet Baek Seok evoked this mood with praise for a bowl \"gentle, simple, faintly smoky, like water under a thin sheet of ice\" (an English rendering of the line hisu-murehago \u2026 seumsumhan). The tradition survived wars and borders and was finally inscribed in 2022 on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.\n\n\n\nThe components of an authentic bowl of Mul-Naengmyeon\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBuckwheat noodles\n\n\n\nBuckwheat noodles look austere: ash gray, almost brittle because they contain 70 - 80 % buckwheat. The dough is pressed straight into boiling water, then shocked in ice, firming just enough to be slurped yet snapping under a distracted bite. Compared with the dark, chewy noodles of Hamhung, Pyongyang strands resemble supple string.\n\n\n\nIcy, clear broth\n\n\n\nThe real broth is a duet. Beef, sometimes joined by chicken or the pheasant of old texts, simmers until the stock turns clear and faintly sweet. Once cooled and defatted, the broth is blended in equal parts with the effervescent brine of winter dongchimi.\n\n\n\nSeasoning stops at salt and a shy dash of light soy sauce. Served ice-cold, the broth should show translucent shards - proof that the cook has honored temperature as much as taste.\n\n\n\nMinimalist toppings\n\n\n\nThin slices of beef brisket blanket the nest of noodles. Pickled radish and cucumber echo the broth's freshness, while a crescent of Korean pear lends a discreet fragrance. A hard-boiled egg, halved, crowns the bowl; a few pine nuts add a final touch of luxury. \n\n\n\nVinegar and mustard are served on the side - how you season the dish is up to your palate. This gastronomic rite is a jewel of Korean cuisine.\n\n\n\n\n\n\tAuthentic Mul-Naengmyeon\n\t\t\n\t\tA classic North-Korean chilled noodle soup in a tangy, icy broth, garnished with tender beef, crisp vegetables, and sweet Korean pear.\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\tNoodles360 g buckwheat noodles (naengmyeon) (dry weight)3 L water30 g pine nutsBeef & Broth300 g beef brisket2.2 L water20 g green onion20 g garlicBroth seasonings10 g soy sauce25 g salt25 g sugar45 g rice vinegar6.5 g fermented mustard stems (gat)Cucumber50 g cucumber1 g saltRadish100 g daikon radish1 g salt2 g sugar1.1 g red chili powder (fine)15 g rice vinegarPear100 g Korean pear100 ml water4 g sugarEggs2 eggs1 L water4 g salt\t\n\t\n\t\tMake the beef brothBlot the brisket dry. Cut the green onion and garlic, then rinse them.Put the brisket and measured water into a large pot.Bring to a rolling boil over high heat for about 10 minutes.Reduce to medium and simmer for 1 hour.Add the green onion and garlic.Lower the heat and simmer 30 minutes more.Lift out the brisket and let it cool.Slice the cooled meat into strips roughly 4 cm wide, 2 cm long and 2 mm thick.Strain the broth through cheesecloth.Season the clear broth with soy sauce, salt, sugar, rice vinegar and the fermented mustard stems.Refrigerate until ice-cold.Prepare the toppingsCucumberRub the cucumber all over with salt.Rinse off the salt.Halve lengthwise, then slice thinly (about 2 mm).Soak the slices in lightly salted water for 20 minutes.RadishScrub the daikon clean.Cut into batonettes about 5 cm long, 1.5 cm wide and 2 mm thick.Toss with salt, sugar, chili powder and vinegar.Marinate for 20 minutes.PearPeel the Korean pear.Slice into 2 mm thick half-moons.Soak the slices in the sugar water.Boil the eggsPlace eggs in a saucepan with the water and salt.Bring to a boil over high heat and cook 5 minutes.Lower to medium and cook 12 minutes more.Transfer to cold water.Peel.Halve lengthwise.Cook the noodles & assembleBring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.Add the buckwheat noodles.Cook for about 2 minutes, just until tender.Rinse under cold running water.Drain thoroughly.Divide the noodles among chilled serving bowls.Arrange the beef, cucumber, marinated radish, pear, egg halves and a sprinkle of pine nuts on top.Ladle the icy broth around the noodles and serve immediately.\t\n\t\n\t\tFor the most authentic taste, serve the broth ice-cold. Drop in a few ice cubes just before serving for an extra-refreshing touch.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tPlat principal, Soupes et bouillonsCor\u00e9enne\t\n\n\n\n\n\nCulinary sources\n\n\n\n\nPyongyang raengmyeon custom - Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO)\n\n\n\nPyongyang naengmyeon - 'Ah! Korea' column (World Korean News)\n\n\n\nNaengmyeon - Wikipedia\n\n\n\nPyongyang naengmyeon in debate (Brunch)\n\n\n\nEveryone loves Pyongyang naengmyeon! Do you know the recipe? (DailyNK)\n\n\n\nKoreaNet - Korean recipe series: naengmyeon\n\n\n\nOfficial Myeon Sarang site - Pyongyang naengmyeon kit\n\n\n\nWhy did dongchimi broth disappear from Pyongyang naengmyeon in Seoul? (Chosun)\n\n\n\nUraeok, considered the best restaurant for Pyongyang naengmyeon lovers (MK Business)\n\n\n\n\"Is Pyongyang naengmyeon bland?\" The truth about its taste (Segye Ilbo)\n\n\n\nHistory of Pyongyang naengmyeon in North and South Korea (Tistory blog)\n\n\n\nStories of the two Koreas: Pyongyang cold noodles, a taste of unity (Korea Foundation)\n\n\n\nNorth Korea's emblematic dish: Pyongyang naengmyeon (AFP video)\n\n\n\nNaengmyeon: a warm love letter to cold noodles (Koryo Tours)","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35306","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35306"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35306\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35306"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35306"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35306"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}