Nanmyeon || Cold Noodle Dish, 난면 1

Nanmyeon is a type of Korean cold noodle dish, similar to naengmyeon but with a thinner and softer noodle. It’s a refreshing and popular summer dish in Korea.

Key characteristics of Nanmyeon:

• Thin and soft noodles: The noodles are made from buckwheat flour and are thinner and softer than traditional naengmyeon noodles.
• Cold broth: The noodles are served in a cold broth, which can be made from beef or vegetable stock.
• Toppings: Popular toppings include sliced beef, cucumber, pear, and a boiled egg.
• Seasonings: The dish is often seasoned with vinegar, mustard, and chili pepper flakes to add flavor and spice.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups wheat flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 winter melon (or butternut squash)
• 100g beef brisket or flank steak
• 2 sheets of cloud ear fungus (or wood ear mushroom)
• 4 shiitake mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste)
• A few dried red chili peppers
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook the beef: Place the beef in a pot with plenty of water and boil until tender.
2. Prepare the vegetables: Soak the shiitake mushrooms in lukewarm water, squeeze out excess water, and thinly slice. Soak the cloud ear fungus in water, thinly slice, and blanch. Cut the winter melon into half-moon shapes and lightly salt.
3. Make the dough: Beat 4 eggs with a pinch of salt. Add the beaten eggs to the wheat flour and mix to form a dough. Separately, beat 1 egg white and 1 egg yolk and cook them into thin omelettes. Slice the omelettes into thin strips.

Instructions:

4. Prepare the broth: Once the beef is cooked, remove it from the broth and press it with a heavy object to remove excess water. Slice the beef thinly. Skim off any fat from the broth and season with doenjang and salt. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and simmer.
5. Sauté vegetables: Sauté the blanched cloud ear fungus and salted winter melon in a pan.
6. Cook the noodles: Roll out the dough thinly and cut it into noodles. Cook the noodles in boiling water until tender and rinse with cold water.
7. Serve: Place the noodles in bowls. Top with sliced beef, sautéed winter melon, sliced omelette, cloud ear fungus, and dried red chili peppers. Pour the hot broth over the noodles.

Notes:

• Doenjang is a Korean fermented soybean paste that provides a rich, umami flavor.
• Cloud ear fungus and shiitake mushrooms add a unique texture and flavor to the dish.
• Winter melon can be substituted with butternut squash if unavailable.
• Adjust the amount of doenjang to your taste.
• Serve immediately for the best flavor.