Cold Noodles...Anyone?
What comes into your mind when you think of noodles? Do you see a bowl of piping hot broth with delicious meat and vegetable toppings?
We often categorize noodles as a hot comfort food on a cold day, but did you know that there are cold noodles too? In Korea, people often eat cold noodle soup during summer. Some people might cringe at the thought of slimy noodles in icy cold broth, but this special dish is eaten for a variety of reasons. It is a favorite for those who are trying to invigorate their stamina greatly sapped off by the scorching heat. Some eat it to cool their bodies and escape the rising temperatures momentarily. Many eat it to satisfy their cravings. With vegetables and delicious broth, it is a must try to those who want to excape the summer heat.
Here are Korea's most popular cold noodle dishes:
1.Bibimguksu (Mixed Noodle)
Bibimguksu is a unique and savory Korean dish. I believe, this is a favorite cold noodle dish to many. People eat it when they eat pork or beef barbecue because it cleans the palate of the oil and grease from the meat. Bibimguksu is white noodles topped with sweet, spicy and sour sauce. It is interesting because the sauce is kimchi-based. The sauce is made by chopping aged kimchi and mixed with pepper paste, sugar, vinegar, garlic and sesame oil. It is poured over flour noodles thoroughly rinsed in icy water. The result is a mouth-watering bowl of beautiful bibimguksu topped with boiled egg, sesame seeds, cucumber and seaweed flakes!
2.Mul Naengmyun (Cold Noodle Soup)
Naengmyun is a close cousin of Bibimguksu. It is buckwheat noodles in an icy clear broth topped with thin beef slices, vegetables and egg. What makes it different is its clean non-spicy taste. This is usually eaten after grilled meat. Don't underestimate the dark buckwheat noodles because it is chewy and perfectly goes well with the sweet, sour and tangy icy broth. It comes perfectly with thinly sliced beef and boiled egg. It is a refreshing treat on a hot summer day!
3. Chogyetang (Chilled Chicken Soup)
Most of us are familiar with chicken soup, but ever heard of chilled chicken soup? This is a popular summer dish and people normally visit their favorite chogyetang restaurant to revitalize their body. It is said that chicken soup can help in restoring lost vitality. Having a cold version of it is even better on a hot and humid day. Even people from the older age bracket enjoys chogyetang because it is nourishing. The soup is made from a whole chicken boiled to produce the tastiest broth. The chicken stock is filled with shredded chicken breast, topped with cucumber, bell pepper, cabbage, seame seeds and flavored with vinegar, sugar, mustard and other condiments. Some people also throw in buckwheat noodles to make it more filling. The rest of the boiled chicken is served on a separate plate for the person to enjoy.