Mul Naengmyeon - North Korean cold noodles

Mul Naengmyeon is the National dish of North Korea; it is the dish they offer to the few foreign leaders who visit the country. Since 2022 it has been included on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

It is made with buckwheat noodles and served in a brass bowl with pieces of meat, vegetables, fruits, kimchi, and radish.

This is a traditional dish deeply rooted in the life of the people of Pyongyang. It is associated with long life, happiness, hospitality, togetherness, and kindness, and it is believed to foster respect, intimacy, and unity.

On the day before Jongwoldaeborum (a Korean winter folk festival), relatives and neighbours gather to enjoy these noodles, hoping their lives will be as long as the strands of the noodles. During celebrations such as birthdays and weddings, the people of Pyongyang serve this dish while offering blessings to family members, neighbours, and friends.

Ingredients:

- 300 g beef brisket.
- 1/2 white onion.
- 6 cloves of garlic.
- 4 slices of ginger.
- 3 Chinese scallions (green onions).
- 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns.
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce.
- 1 teaspoon sugar.
- Salt.
- 200 g buckwheat SOBA noodles.
- 1 boiled egg, cut in half.
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced.
- Radish slices.
- 2 slices of Korean pear.
- Chinese cabbage.
- Vinegar, mustard, or soy sauce.

Method:

1- First, we prepare a broth with ginger, garlic, onion, Chinese scallions, black peppercorns, beef, and radish.

Add the ingredients to a pot with one tablespoon of salt and put it over high heat until it comes to a boil.

Chinese scallions are this type of onion that has a milder flavour than regular onions, and the whole plant can be used, including the leaves. They can be eaten raw or cooked.

2- When it starts to boil, reduce to medium-low heat, place a lid on the pot with a small gap so the steam can escape, and let it cook for 40 minutes.

During that time, we remove the foam that forms on the surface.

Until the broth is clarified.

3- Set the meat aside. The vegetables can be used for other recipes. Then take the broth and strain it to remove all impurities.

4- Refrigerate the broth because it is served cold. You can even place part of it in the freezer so it chills faster while we prepare the rest of the dish.

5 - Now we prepare the ingredients that accompany the broth: slice the soft-skinned zucchini (Chinese or Dutch zucchini) and place it in a container with salt.

6 - Cut the meat into strips.

7 - Cut the radish, which was cooked for the broth, into strips.

8 - Also, cut the Korean pear into strips and place them in water with sugar to prevent browning.

The Korean pear is the apple-shaped pear commonly sold in Asian grocery stores.

9 - Boil the Chinese cabbage and the egg.

10 - Prepare the buckwheat SOBA noodles by bringing salted water to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, add the noodles and cook for 4 minutes.

To stop the cooking, transfer them to cold water with ice.

11 - Now plate the dish by placing the noodles in the center of the bowl, then arranging the meat, radish, pear, chopped Chinese cabbage, cucumber, and half a boiled egg on top of the noodles (I forgot the egg myself!).

Pour the broth over everything—it should be very cold. To enhance the flavour, mustard, soy sauce, or vinegar is usually added.

I wasn’t in the mood for cold noodles, but I really liked this combination served cold. I added mustard and soy sauce, and it goes really well.

Recipe in Spanish

You can also watch the recipe at my Youtube Channel:

Here you have my  favourite cooking tools: https://viaja-en-mi-cocina-english.blogspot.com/2023/05/shop.html

North Korea

Kanda ti Nyama - Meatballs from Central Africa

 The dish known as Kanda ti Nyama is typical in the Central African Republic. It consists of meatballs made with beef, crushed onions, and ground pumpkin seeds.

Kanda originated in the agricultural communities of the Central African Republic, where cattle were raised, making beef an available source of protein. Locals began mixing ground beef with spices in traditional mortars. It's a dish that is cooked as a family activity; everyone gathers around the mortar and chats while grinding and mixing the meat.

It is prepared for celebrations, family gatherings, and village events.

During the colonial era, many traditional dishes of the country were lost or modified to suit European tastes; however, Kanda has survived, maintaining its original character.

It's quite a filling dish because pumpkin seeds are very nutritious and somewhat difficult to digest, so three meatballs are usually enough. It is often served with tomato and rice. Pumpkin seeds add a special tenderness to the meat.

It's also quite easy to make. If you decide to try it, don't forget to write a comment. I love to hear how your dishes turn out!

Ingredients:

- 350g minced beef.
- 200g pumpkin seeds.
- 3 ripe tomatoes.
- 1 chili pepper or black pepper to taste.
- 2 cloves of garlic.
- 2 onions.
- Cooked rice to serve.

Method:

1- Cut an onion into pieces and the garlic cloves into slices.

2- We also cut the second onion into pieces and we are going to crush it with the help of a grinder or food processor.

3- Grind the pumpkin seeds with the grinder; my seeds were already peeled.

4- Cook in a pan with some oil, the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent.

5- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down; you can add a little water to make it more liquid. Add salt and pepper as well.

6- Put the minced meat, the crushed onion, the crushed pumpkin seeds, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well.

7- Take small handfuls of meat and turn them into balls. If you have any left over, they can be well kept in the refrigerator for a few days; you can also freeze them.

8-Put the meatballs in the pan with the tomato and cook them over low heat for 1 hour with the lid on, turning them over after 30 minutes.

9- And there you have them.

Receta en Español

You can also watch the recipe at my Youtube Channel:

Here you have my  favourite cooking tools: https://viaja-en-mi-cocina-english.blogspot.com/2023/05/shop.html

Central Africa Republic

Carne al toro - Recipe from Cádiz

Carne al toro is a traditional recipe from the province of Cádiz.

This dish, as its name suggests, was initially made with bull meat, but today it is made with any type of meat that is cooked in the same way, with vegetables and wine.

The origin of the recipe is relatively recent, in the 70s of the last century (50 years ago), a restaurant in Puerto de Santa María called 'Tendido 4' popularized it, people went to the restaurant to eat this dish and later it began to be cooked in other restaurants and bars of the area.

The recipe was devised by Luisa Aldana, the mother of Fernando Fernández, the owner of the restaurant El Tendido 4. The Fernández family was well known in the city because they were dedicated to the world of greengrocers.

Ingredients :

- 800 g beef to stew.

- 1 onion.

- 1 red pepper.

- 1 green pepper.

- 2 carrots.

- 2 garlic cloves.

- 100 ml crushed tomato.

- 1 slice toasted bread.

- 1 glass red wine.

- 1/2 glass water.

- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika.

- 1 teaspoon spicy paprika.

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin.

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves.

- 1 teaspoon oregano.

- 1 bay leaf.

- olive oil.

- Salt.

- Pepper.

Method:

1- Season the meat with salt and pepper and sautée it in a pot with a little oil.

2- Once the meeting starts to be done, set aside.

3- Peel the onion, carrots and cut them into medium pieces along with the red and green peppers.

4- Sauté in the same pot where you cooked the meat.

5- Add the meat, crushed garlic or garlic cut into very small pieces, bread, bay leaves and crushed tomato.

6- Add the salt, all the spices and the wine, cook until slightly reduced.

7- Add some water just to cover the meat, put the lid of the pressure cooker on, and turn the heat to maximum until the steam starts to come out, then set the heat to minimum and cook for 30 or 40 minutes.

8- Use some chips as side dish , you can also accompany it with rice or eat it alone.

You can also watch the recipe at my Youtube Channel:

Here you have a link to my favourite cooking tools:  

Favourite cooking tools

Receta en Español

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