Noodles is the pride of Korean people because the dish made from starch is diverse in flavor and shape. Particularly, if noodles are normally eaten when they are hot, there is a nutritious cold noodles dish for the summer in Korea.

Noodles is the pride of Korean people because the dish made from starch is diverse in flavor and shape. Particularly, if noodles are normally eaten when they are hot, there is a nutritious cold noodles dish for the summer in Korea.

Korean have eaten noodles for a long time before the bread was invented. The oldest cold noodles dish is also the most famous one called naengmyn which was invented in the North Korea. In additions, cold noodles also have some other variations which are the most favorite cool dishes in the summer.

Cold noodles are not only the noodles which is cold but generally referred to the noodle dishes which are eaten in the summer to distinguish them from the noodle dishes served in hot broth called guksu jangguk which are often eaten in the winter. Cold noodles may be glass noodles or noodles which are stir-fried or served with broth, but they both have common cool condiments such as bean sprouts, cucumbers, boiled egg, vegetables, etc.

Some famous cold noodle dishes of Korea:

Naengmyeon

There are two types of Naengmyeon named Naengmyeon-mul and Naengmyeon-bibim. Naengmyeon-mul are served with cold broth while Naengmyeon- bibim is served with spicy sauce and ingredients mixed together like bibimbap. Naengmyeon- bibim has noodles made from potato or sweet potato starch, so this dish is springier than Naengmyeon-mul.

Naengmyeon-mul is normally made from buckwheat. The ingredients for this dish are Korean radish, minced beef or pork, and boiled egg. Depending on personal taste, vinegar or mustard can be added. The cold broth used to be made from pheasant, but it is recently replaced by the meat and bones of other species.

Makguksu

In Korean, “Mak” means the circle, “guksu” means noodles. The name of this dish is originated from the way it is presented. The noodles are wrapped in a bundle in the bowl, so they have to be teased apart. The noodles made from buckwheat flour are served with sauce and sliced kimchi, cucumber, and Korean pear. This dish is not served in broth.

Kongguksu

The name of this dish does not refer to the ingredient, but the broth which is made from ground soy bean and salt. This is a cool vegetarian dish with the perfect taste of the summer.

The noodles are topped with cucumber and radish kimchi. The broth, sometimes, is iced and sprinkled with some sesame. The major type of noodle is made from wheat flour.

Jjolmyeon

This is another type of cold noodle served in bibim style, mixed from different ingredients with various attractive colors, and excluding broth. The noodle is very spring and served with sweet sauce, bean sprouts, boiled eggs, and sliced cucumber.

Milmyeon

Milmyeon is made from wheat flour and also has two ways of eating like Naengmyeon. There is a story that during the war in Korea when most of the countries ran away to the southern cities and buckwheat was in shortage, noodles were made from wheat flour as an alternative food relief for the war.

Naeng-kalguksu

Naeng-kalguksu is a rare type of thick noodle among cold noodles. Naeng-kalguksu is the cold version of Kalguksu. The noodle strings are made from wheat flour; the broth is made from chicken bones, soy bean powder, and Korean squash.

Naeng-kalguksu can also be served with kimchi, radish, and cucumber like other cold noodles.

Chogyeguksu

Chogyeguksu is a variation of the traditional cold chicken noodles chogyetan. The major ingredient is chicken meat without fat, vinegar, and mustard which are adjusted for the best flavor. The chicken meat is torn into small pieces and broth is poured in the noodle bowl.

Chogyeguksu noodles is made from buckwheat flour or wheat flour. In addition to chicken, the dish is served with other condiments such as pickled radish and cucumber. Sesame seeds are added to level up the flavor. The broth can be made from beef, pork, fish, and other ingredients besides the traditional chicken broth of chogyetang.

Japchae

It will be a great excuse if japchae is missed when mentioning Korean cold noodles. Generally, japchae is mixed glass noodles which is similar to Vietnamese one. However, mixed glass noodles in kimchi world has some special ingredients that make it distinctive such as sesame oil, sesame seeds, green bean, shiitake mushroom, and beef. Japchae has the bright brown color of sesame oil, the attractive red color of carrots, the dark brown color of mushroom, and reddish brown color of beef.

Jeangban guksu

In Korean, jeangban means a big tray and guksu means noodles. As its name reveals, jeangban is a big tray of noodles with various types of vegetables around. Therefore, jeangban is also called noodle hotpot. Vegetables served with jeangban are diverse in flavors such as sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy, etc. so this vegetarian dish is not boring.

In addition, the tasty sauce made from chili pepper, sesame oil, vinegar, and sugar helps balance the flavor for the vegetarian noodle hotpot and makes simple jeangban an attractive dish.

T.H (Depplus.vn/MASK)