Pyongyang Naengmyeon

Pyongyang naengmyeon is a bowl of chilled buckwheat noodles in a clear beef broth, a specialty of Pyongyang in North Korea.

Naengmyeon means cold noodles, and the name covers several styles. The Pyongyang style is the mild one, with a clean beef broth and noodles based on buckwheat. Hamhung-style naengmyeon is spicier and built on a red sauce, so the two should not be confused. The Pyongyang style is also made in South Korea.

What it really is

The noodles are the core of the dish. They are made mainly from buckwheat flour, with starch added so they hold together, and they are pressed into long, firm strands and chilled. The broth is beef broth, cooled and kept clear, and much of the flavour sits in it. Vinegar gives the broth a sour edge. Thin strips of pear and cucumber go on top, with half a boiled egg. The bowl stays cold from start to finish.

How it's served

• Cold, in a bowl of chilled beef broth, often with ice floating in it.
• The noodles are long, so they are often cut with scissors at the table.
• Pear, cucumber and boiled egg laid over the noodles, with vinegar on the side.
• Eaten with chopsticks for the noodles and a spoon for the broth.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the broth as beef and the noodles as buckwheat, since guests ask about both.
• Flag eggs, which the classic bowl contains, and say whether the egg is half or whole.
• Buckwheat is the grain in the noodles, so tell guests with a buckwheat allergy. Many shops blend in wheat flour; if yours does, flag wheat.
• State whether ice, vinegar and cut noodles come as standard.
• Do not sell a spicy red-sauce cold noodle under this name. That is a different style.