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Naengmyeon * (, in
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
) or raengmyŏn (, in
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
) is a noodle dish of North Korean origin which consists of long and thin handmade noodles made from the flour and starch of various ingredients, including
buckwheat Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum''), or common buckwheat, is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. The name "buckwheat" is used for several other species, such as ''Fagop ...
(메밀, ''memil''),
potatoes The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern United ...
,
sweet potatoes The sweet potato or sweetpotato ('' Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the bindweed or morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable. The young sho ...
, arrowroot starch (darker color and chewier than buckwheat noodles), and
kudzu Kudzu (; also called Japanese arrowroot or Chinese arrowroot) is a group of climbing, coiling, and trailing deciduous perennial vines native to much of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and some Pacific islands, but invasive in many parts of the wor ...
(, ). Buckwheat predominates (despite the name, it is not a wheat but rather is more closely related to
sorrel Sorrel (''Rumex acetosa''), also called common sorrel or garden sorrel, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Polygonaceae. Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock ('dock' being a common name for the genus '' ...
). Other varieties of naengmyeon are made from ingredients such as seaweed and
green tea Green tea is a type of tea that is made from '' Camellia sinensis'' leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process which is used to make oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China, and since th ...
. In modern times, the ''mul naengmyeon'' (물 냉면) variant is commonly associated with and popularly consumed during the summer, however, it was historically a dish enjoyed during winter.


History

According to the 19th-century documents of ''
Dongguksesigi Dongguksesigi (동국세시기,東國歲時記) is a book explaining the traditional customs of the year in Korea, written during the Joseon Dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), offi ...
'' (), ''naengmyeon'' has been made since the
Joseon Dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and r ...
. Originally a delicacy in northern
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...
, especially in the cities of
Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populat ...
() and
Hamhung Hamhŭng (''Hamhŭng-si''; ) is North Korea's second-largest city, and the capital of South Hamgyŏng Province. It has an estimated population of 768,551. Located in the southern part of the South Hamgyong province, Hamhung is the main and most p ...
(), ''naengmyeon'' became widely popular throughout Korea in both North and South Korea after the
Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...
. Naengmyeon is served in a large brass or stainless-steel bowl with a tangy iced broth,
julienned Julienne, , or french cut, is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, similar to matchsticks. Common items to be julienned are carrots for , celery for , potatoes for julienne fries, or cucumbers for . Trimmi ...
cucumbers, slices of
Korean pear ''Pyrus pyrifolia'' is a species of pear tree native to East Asia. The tree's edible fruit is known by many names, including: Asian pear, Japanese pear, Chinese pear, Korean pear, Taiwanese pear, apple pear, zodiac pear, three-halves pear, pa ...
, thin, wide strips of lightly pickled
radish The radish (''Raphanus raphanistrum'' subsp. ''sativus'') is an edible root vegetable of the family Brassicaceae that was domesticated in Asia prior to Roman times. Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, being mostly eaten raw ...
, and either a boiled egg or slices of cold boiled beef or both. Spicy mustard sauce (or mustard oil) and vinegar are often added before consumption. Traditionally, the long noodles would be eaten without cutting, as they symbolized longevity of life and good health, but servers at restaurants usually ask if the noodles should be cut prior to eating, and use
scissors Scissors are hand-operated shearing tools. A pair of scissors consists of a pair of metal blades pivoted so that the sharpened edges slide against each other when the handles (bows) opposite to the pivot are closed. Scissors are used for cutt ...
to cut the noodles.


Varieties

The two main varieties of ''naengmyeon'' are '' mul naengmyeon'' (물 냉면) and ''bibim naengmyeon'' (비빔 냉면). The former is served as a cold noodle soup made from beef,
chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adu ...
or dongchimi broth. The latter is served with a spicy dressing made primarily from ''
gochujang ''Gochujang'' (, from Korean: , ) or red chili paste * is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment popular in Korean cooking. It is made from gochu-garu (chili powder), glutinous rice, '' meju'' (fermented soybean) powder, ''yeotgir ...
'' (red chili paste) and eaten mixed. In the case of ''bibim naengmyeon'', a bowl of broth used in ''mul naengmyeon'' or plain broth from the boiled noodles itself are often served on the side. This broth can be served hot or cold depending on the restaurant and type of broth. Boiled eggs and sliced
cucumber Cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated creeping vine plant in the Cucurbitaceae family that bears usually cylindrical fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables.Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populat ...
.Pyongyang naengmyeon
Doosan Encyclopedia
''Pyŏngyang naengmyŏn'' is mainly made from buckwheat and either
beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). In prehistoric times, humankind hunted aurochs and later domesticated them. Since that time, numerous breeds of cattle have been bred specifically for the quality or quantit ...
or
pheasant Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera native range is restricted to Eurasia ...
broth. It also uses dongchimi broth or a mixture of it, while adding sliced pieces of
radish The radish (''Raphanus raphanistrum'' subsp. ''sativus'') is an edible root vegetable of the family Brassicaceae that was domesticated in Asia prior to Roman times. Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, being mostly eaten raw ...
to the dish. Vinegar, mustard oil (provided on request at most restaurants), and sugar is added according to taste before eating. South Koreans do not add sugar and use beef broth exclusively. In
South Jeolla Province South Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollanam-do''; ), also known as Jeonnam, is a province of South Korea. South Jeolla has a population of 1,902,324 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Honam region at the southwestern tip of the Korean ...
, ''mul naengmyeon'' is often served with red chili paste that is mixed in with the broth. The effect is similar to adding the broth to a bowl of ''bibim naengmyeon''. A version of ''bibim naengmyeon'' originates from
Hamhung Hamhŭng (''Hamhŭng-si''; ) is North Korea's second-largest city, and the capital of South Hamgyŏng Province. It has an estimated population of 768,551. Located in the southern part of the South Hamgyong province, Hamhung is the main and most p ...
,Hamhung naengmyeon
Doosan Encyclopedia
the ''hoe naengmyeon'' (회 냉면). ''Hoe naengmyeon'' is ''bibim naengmyeon'' with additional marinated raw fish (
hoe Hoe or HOE may refer to: * Hoe (food), a Korean dish of raw fish * Hoe (letter), a Georgian letter * Hoe (tool), a hand tool used in gardening and farming ** Hoe-farming, a term for primitive forms of agriculture * Backhoe, a piece of excavating ...
), usually
skate Skate or Skates may refer to: Fish * Skate (fish), several genera of fish belonging to the family Rajidae * Pygmy skates, several genera of fish belonging to the family Gurgesiellidae * Smooth skates or leg skates, several genera of fish belongi ...
. It is eaten with ''
gochujang ''Gochujang'' (, from Korean: , ) or red chili paste * is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment popular in Korean cooking. It is made from gochu-garu (chili powder), glutinous rice, '' meju'' (fermented soybean) powder, ''yeotgir ...
'' and other ingredients mixed. Vinegar, sugar, and sometimes
sesame oil Sesame oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame seeds. The oil is one of the earliest-known crop-based oils. Worldwide mass modern production is limited due to the inefficient manual harvesting process required to extract the oil. ...
are added according to taste. The noodles of ''Hamhung naengmyeon'' are typically made from potato or sweet potato starch, making the noodles chewier in texture compared to those of ''Pyongyang naengmyeon''. In addition to skate,
pollock Pollock or pollack (pronounced ) is the common name used for either of the two species of North Atlantic marine fish in the genus ''Pollachius''. '' Pollachius pollachius'' is referred to as pollock in North America, Ireland and the United Kingd ...
(명태) can also be used in ''hoe naengmyeon''. In this case it is referred to as ''myeongtae hoe naengmyeon'' (명태회냉면). Another variety of naengmyeon is ''yeolmu naengmyeon'' (열무 냉면) which is served with '' yeolmu kimchi'', made from the leaves of the
yeolmu ''Yeolmu'' () or young summer radish is a type of leafy radish cultivated in Korea. Its taproots and greens are harvested when they are still soft and tender. Yeolmukimchi.jpg, ''Yeolmu-kimchi'' (Young summer radish kimchi) See also * Korea ...
summer radish. '' Jungguk-naengmyeon'' () is a Chinese-influenced cold noodle soup in
Korean Chinese cuisine Korean–Chinese cuisine (), also known as Sino–Korean cuisine, is a hybrid cuisine developed by the ethnic Chinese in Korea. Despite originally being derived from Chinese cuisine, Korean-Chinese cuisine consists of unique dishes with Korea ...
. Likewise, a Chinese version of the dish known as "Korean cold noodles" ( zh, s=朝鲜冷面, p=Cháoxiǎn lěng miàn, labels=no) or " Dongbei cold noodles" ( zh, s=东北冷面, p=Dōngběi lěng miàn, labels=no) is popular in the
Northeast China Northeast China or Northeastern China () is a geographical region of China, which is often referred to as "Manchuria" or "Inner Manchuria" by surrounding countries and the West. It usually corresponds specifically to the three provinces east of ...
region bordering Korea.
Morioka Reimen Morioka Reimen () is a local cuisine of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture. It is a cold noodle dish and one of the Three Great Noodles of Morioka, along with Morioka Jajamen and Wanko soba. It is known for its chewy noodles, rich chilled broth, and toppi ...
(盛岡冷麺) is derived from naengmyeon which was introduced by Korean immigrants, and is part of
Japanese regional cuisine Japanese cuisine has a vast array of regional specialities known as ''kyōdo ryōri'' (郷土料理) in Japanese, many of them originating from dishes prepared using local ingredients and traditional recipes.Tohoku region. Instant ''naengmyeon'' noodles are available, with the soup broth prepackaged with the noodles. A plastic package of
mustard oil Mustard oil can mean either the pressed oil used for cooking, or a pungent essential oil also known as volatile oil of mustard. The essential oil results from grinding mustard seed, mixing the grounds with water, and extracting the resulting vola ...
is often supplied.


Gallery

File:Cold Noodles at Famous Okryu Restaurant (10108835864).jpg, '' P'yŏngyang-raengmyŏn''
( or ) File:Jinju naengmyeon (cold noodles).jpg, ''
Jinju Jinju () is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It was the location of the first (1592) and second (1593) Sieges of Jinju by Japanese forces during the Imjin War. The Republic of Korea Air Force Education and Training Command is ...
-naengmyeon''
() File:Korean cold buckwheat noodle soup-Mul naengmyeon-01.jpg, ''Mul-naengmyeon''
() File:Korean.food-Bibim.naengmyen-01.jpg, ''Bibim-naengmyeon''
() File:Korean hot and spicy cold buckwheat noodles with raw fish-Hoe naengmyeon-01.jpg, ''
Hoe Hoe or HOE may refer to: * Hoe (food), a Korean dish of raw fish * Hoe (letter), a Georgian letter * Hoe (tool), a hand tool used in gardening and farming ** Hoe-farming, a term for primitive forms of agriculture * Backhoe, a piece of excavating ...
-naengmyeon''
() File:Dongbei lengmian cold noodles.jpg, ''Dongbei lengmian''
( zh, 东北冷面)


In popular culture

In the South Korean variety show '' Infinite Challenge'',
Park Myeong-su Park Myung-soo (born August 27, 1970) is a South Korean DJ, comedian, MC, singer, and songwriter who debuted on television in 1993, appearing on MBC. He co-hosted the top-rated comic variety programme '' Infinite Challenge'' and also hosted ...
and Jessica, a former member of
Girls' Generation Girls' Generation (), also known as SNSD, is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group is composed of eight members: Taeyeon, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun. Originally a nine-piece ens ...
, performed the song "Naengmyeon" which was named after the food. The song became a hit and received wide acclaim.Naengmyeon wins award
Newsen
The plot of the 2020 daily soap opera ''Brilliant Heritage'' revolves around a naengmyeon shop, among other riches owned by an 80-year-old man who marries a 33-year-old woman to spite his children.


In politics

During the first summit between North and South Korean leaders,
Kim Jong-un Kim Jong-un (; , ; born 8 January 1982) is a North Korean politician who has been Supreme Leader of North Korea since 2011 and the leader of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is a son of Kim Jong-il, who was North Korea's sec ...
and
Moon Jae-in Moon Jae-in (; ; born 24 January 1953) is a South Korean former politician, civil servant and lawyer who served as the 12th president of South Korea between 2017 and 2022. Prior to his presidency, he served as Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs an ...
, Kim presented Moon with Pyongyang-style ''raengmyŏn'' as a gift.


See also

*
Korean cuisine Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in Korea and southern Manchuria, Korean cuisine reflects a complex interaction of the natural envi ...
* '' Mak-guksu'' * '' Milmyeon'' * '' Kong-guksu'' * ''
Jat-guksu ''Jat-guksu'' () is a Korean noodle dish consisting of wheat flour or buckwheat noodles in a bowl of cold broth made from ground pine nuts. It is a local specialty of Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province where a great deal of pine nuts are harvested in S ...
''


References


External links


Naengmyeon - Official Seoul City Tourism
{{Soups Buckwheat dishes Korean cuisine Mixed noodles National dishes Noodle soups Winter in culture Cold noodles North Korean cuisine