Chilled Korean Buckwheat Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• ¾ lb beef brisket or chuck, in one piece
• 6 cups water
• 1 3-inch piece dried kelp (dashima)
• 3 whole dried shiitake mushrooms
• ½ whole yellow onion, halved
• 4 whole garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 slices ginger slices
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 oz naengmyeon (buckwheat noodles)
• 1 whole large egg
• ½ whole English cucumber, chilled
• 2 oz Korean radish (mu), chilled
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
• ¼ teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon mustard (yellow or Korean)

Instructions

1. 1

   Place a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Rinse the 0.75 lb beef brisket under cold water and add it to the pot along with 6 cups of cold water. Bring to a rolling boil, then immediately pour off the water and rinse the beef under cold water — this removes impurities that would cloud your broth. Rinse the pot clean.

2. 2

   Return the beef to the clean pot and add 6 fresh cups of cold water. Add the 3-inch piece of dried kelp (do not rinse it — the surface has flavor compounds you want to extract), 3 whole dried shiitake mushrooms, 0.5 yellow onion halved, 4 smashed garlic cloves, and 3 ginger slices. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer uncovered for 40-45 minutes, until the beef is completely tender and pierces easily with a fork.

3. 3

   Remove the beef with tongs and set aside on a cutting board. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding the solids. Stir in 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 0.5 teaspoon sugar, and 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt. Taste and adjust seasoning — the broth should taste savory and slightly sweet. Cover and refrigerate the broth until completely chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight. Once cooled, you can skim off any fat that solidifies on the surface.

4. 4

   Bring a small pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Gently lower 1 large egg into the water and cook for exactly 6-7 minutes for a soft-boiled egg with a runny yolk — this is the traditional style. Transfer immediately to an ice bath. Once cool, peel carefully and halve the egg. Set aside.

5. 5

   Slice the cooled cooked beef against the grain into thin 1/4-inch slices. This matters because cutting against the grain breaks down muscle fibers and makes the beef tender in every bite. Arrange the slices on a plate, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

6. 6

   Using a vegetable peeler, create thin ribbons from the chilled 0.5 English cucumber, discarding the seedy center — keep only the flesh. Cut the 2 oz chilled Korean radish (mu) into very thin matchsticks about 2 inches long. Place all vegetables in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until assembly.

7. 7

   Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the 6 oz naengmyeon noodles and stir gently to separate them. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but still chewy — watch for them to float to the surface and bob for about 30 seconds after that point. Taste a strand: it should have a slight bite to it, not soft.

8. 8

   Drain the noodles into a colander and rinse under cold running water for 20-30 seconds, swirling them gently with your hand to remove excess starch. The rinsing cools them and removes the starchy coating that would make them stick. Divide the noodles between two chilled bowls.

9. 9

   Arrange the toppings in neat sections on top of each portion of noodles: place 2-3 slices of cooled beef on one side, arrange the cucumber ribbons and radish matchsticks alongside, and place the soft-boiled egg halves on top. Sprinkle each bowl with 0.5 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds and a pinch of gochugaru.

10. 10

    Pour the chilled broth over the noodles and toppings, filling each bowl to just below the rim. Add 4-5 ice cubes to each bowl to keep everything cold — the ice cubes gradually melt and chill the broth as you eat. Stir 0.5 teaspoon mustard and 0.5 tablespoon rice vinegar directly into your bowl at the table to customize the flavor. Eat with chopsticks and a spoon, pulling noodles up through the chilled broth with each bite.

Tools you’ll need

• 4-quart pot
• fine-mesh strainer
• large bowl
• cutting board
• sharp knife
• vegetable peeler
• small pot
• ice bath (bowl with ice water)
• large pot
• colander
• chopsticks
• soup spoon
• instant-read thermometer (optional, for checking beef doneness)

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