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

Kerikeri - Salad from New Zealand

 Kerikeri is a salad very typical of the Maori people, the natives from New Zeland.

The main ingredients are corn and green peas. It is very healthy and easy to prepare.
¡This is a vegan dish!.

Ingredients (3 people):

- 150 grams corn.
- 100 grams green peas.
- 1 cucumber.
- Half an onion.
- 1 garlic clove.
- Oil.
- Vinegar.
- Salt.
- Pepper.
- Cayenne.

- Chives.

Method:

1- Cook the green peas with water and salt. If they are frozen you can cook them 10 minutes in boiling water.

2- Cut the cucumber into little cubes.

3- Cut the onion, garlic and chive in pieces.

4- Mix the corn, green peas, cucumber and chives.

5- Take a jar, put inside the onion, garlic, oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and a bit of cayenne. Close the jar and shake well.

Pour the jar content on the salad.

Recipe in English

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

New Zealand

De Original: Albert Hastings Markham Vector: Zscout370, Hugh Jass, s. Historial del archivo - http://www.mch.govt.nz/files/NZ%20Flag%20-%20proportions.JPG https://fotw.info/flags/nz.html, Dominio público, Enlace

Kaima Bona Gatoi - Roasted vegetables from Papua New Guinea

Kaima Bona Gatoi is a vegetarian dish from Papua New Guinea, it is usually served as a side dish with fish or meat dishes.

It is very easy to prepare and it is very similar to our roasted vegetables called 'escalivada'.

Ingredients:

- 1 Zucchini 

- 1 Eggplant 

- Salt 

- 1 Red Pepper 

- 1 Onion 

- 1 teaspoon of cilantro 

- 1 teaspoon of paprika, spicy or not, as you like.

- Vinegar 

- Oil 

Preparation:

1- Cut the eggplant and zucchini into 1 or 2 centimeter thick slices. Cut the onion into 8 pieces and the pepper into small pieces.

2- Put everything in a bowl and add salt, a little bit of oil, vinegar, ginger, cilantro, and paprika. Mix well and let the vegetables marinate for 1 hour.

3- Put the vegetables in the oven and cook for 10 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius, and you're done!

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

Receta en Español

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Korokke from Palau

                                                                                Receta en Español

Korokke are a kind of croquettes that are usually prepared in Palau, they come from the japanese cuisine and are eaten as snack or starter.

This is the most widespread way to preparing Korokke in Palau, using a vegetable called water spinach.

It is a difficult to find vegetable, but you can use spinachs instead of water spinachs.

Korokke Ingredients:

- 2 tuna cans 113 g.

- 300 grams spinachs.

- Half an onion.

- 4 tablespoon of soy sauce.

- Salt.

- 250 grams flour.

- 2 eggs.

- 2 cups of water.

Sauce Ingredients:

- Vinegar.

- Chive.

- Soy sauce.

- Powdered garlic.

- Powdered onion.

Method:

1- Wash and cut spinachs.

2- Cut onion in little pieces.

3- Put spinachs in a bowl , add tuna and onion, mix well.

4- Add the eggs, mix well.

5- Add soy sauce.

6- Add flour, mix well.

7- Add water, salt and mix well.

8- Take a frying pan, pour some oil and heat it. Once the oil is hot take a spoonful of the dough and pour it into the oil. Fry 4 minutes every side until they are golden.

9- Put korokke on an absorbent paper to get rid of the excess of oil.

10- Now we are going to make the sauce; mix vinager with the same quantity of soy sauce, add chive, salt, powdered garlic and onion.

Mix well (instead of powdered onion I used little pieces of onion, but it is better to use the powder).

This sauce is used to dip in the korokkes.

You can complete the dish adding some white rice.

Palau