Mul-naengmyeon (Cold Buckwheat Noodles in Icy Beef Broth)

Method

1. Rinse the brisket under cold water. Put it in a 20 cm pot with the water, the onion (halved), the leek, the garlic and the sliced ginger. Bring to the boil on high heat, about 10 min, skimming off the grey foam with a ladle as it rises; foam left in makes the broth cloudy.

   Add in this stepBeef brisket, in one piece 250 gWater 1,500 mlOnion ½Korean leek (daepa) or thick spring onion, white part (10 cm) 1Garlic cloves 4Fresh ginger 5 g

   high heat

2. Turn the heat down to medium-low heat, set the lid ajar and simmer for 1 h, until a chopstick slides into the meat with almost no resistance. If the water drops and the meat sticks out, top up with a little hot water.

   medium-low heat

3. Meanwhile make the pickles. Slice the radish into thin pieces about 4 × 2 cm and 2 mm thick; halve the cucumber lengthwise and slice it thinly on the diagonal. Toss both with the pickle share of the salt, sugar and vinegar plus the chilli flakes and leave for 20 min, until slightly limp and sweet-sour. Squeeze lightly before serving.

   Add in this stepKorean radish (mu) or daikon 150 gCucumber ½Salt 0.6 tspSugar ¾ tbspDistilled white vinegar 1 tbspKorean chilli flakes (gochugaru) ½ tsp

4. Boil the eggs: bring water to the boil in a 14 cm pan, gently lower in the eggs on medium heat and cook for 12 min for fully set yolks. Cool them in cold water, peel and halve.

   Add in this stepEggs 1

   medium heat

5. Lift out the brisket, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate so it slices cleanly. Strain the broth through a sieve lined with kitchen paper to catch the fat. While it is still warm, stir in the soup soy sauce and the rest of the salt, sugar and vinegar until dissolved; make it taste slightly too strong, because cold and melting ice mute it. Let it cool, then chill it in the freezer for 1 h 10 min, until icy cold with slush forming at the edges.

   Add in this stepKorean soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) 1½ tbspSalt 0.9 tspSugar 1¾ tbspDistilled white vinegar 2½ tbsp

6. Bring plenty of water to a rolling boil in a 22 cm pot on high heat. Loosen the noodles with your fingers, drop them in and cook for 1 min, stirring with chopsticks. Drain, rub them hard between your hands under cold running water to wash off the starch, then dip them in iced water so they turn firm and chewy. Drain well.

   Add in this stepFresh naengmyeon noodles (refrigerated) 320 g

   high heat

7. Slice the brisket thinly against the grain and the pear into thin pieces. Twist each portion of noodles into a neat nest in a chilled bowl, pour over the slushy broth with the ice cubes, and top with pickles, brisket, pear and half an egg. At the table, cut the noodles once with scissors and add mustard and vinegar to taste.

   Add in this stepAsian pear (nashi) 60 gIce cubes 5Korean hot mustard (gyeoja) and extra vinegar, for the table to taste