Noodle

Mul-naengmyeon

Cold Buckwheat Noodles

Chewy buckwheat noodles in an icy, tangy broth — Korea's signature cold noodle dish for summer heat.

Mul-naengmyeon ('water cold noodles') is how Koreans beat the summer: thin, chewy buckwheat noodles served in a chilled, slightly tart beef-and-radish broth, sometimes with shards of ice floating on top. It traces back to the northern regions of the Korean peninsula, and Pyongyang-style versions are revered for their restrained, clean broth. It's the traditional finish to a Korean BBQ meal, eaten to cleanse the palate after grilled meat. The bowl comes garnished with cucumber, half a boiled egg, and a slice of pear, and you season it yourself with vinegar and mustard oil at the table. The noodles are famously long and resilient, so scissors are offered to cut them.

✦ Tastypinch tip

The noodles are slippery and elastic — gather a small twist and lift slowly so they don't whip broth at you.

How to eat it

Add a little vinegar and mustard oil to taste, then mix before eating.
Use the table scissors to cut the long noodles into manageable lengths.
Drink the cold broth directly from the bowl between bites.

Common mistakes

Don't be shy with the scissors; uncut noodles are very hard to eat politely.
Taste before drowning it in vinegar/mustard — the broth is meant to stay subtle.