The broth was made with Dongchimi (radish water kimchi) brine scooped out of the earthenware crock which was half-buried in the ground for winter storage.
In North Korea, Naengmyeon noodle is served in a stainless-steel bowl in icy cold water leading to its the western name ‘Cold Noodles’.
People usually eat hot noodles on cold days and cold noodles on hot days. However, in accord with the traditional Korean saying “beat the heat with heat and the cold with cold, Koreans often eat cold noodles in winter and hot noodles in summer.
Naengmyeon can be roughly divided into 2 types:
*Mulnaengmyeon, a type of naengmyeon that adds cold broth to noodles, and
*Bibimnaengmyeon, a type that adds condiment mix to noodles.
Buckwheat was introduced by the Mongol Empire during the Goryeo Dynasty (founded in 918). Therefore, it was said people living in the mountainous northern region first began eating it around that time. Naengmyeaon noodles already available since the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), the delicacy only made for nobility and the rich since only they had an access to ice in summer. The rich had reserves and stored of ice in their very own caves.
Mulnaengmyeon is sold in the form of instant food, and it is a growing market in Korea. Instant mulnaengmyeon was first introduced to the market in 1968.
Naengmyeon noodles
