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Bibim dangmyeon
비빔당면: Gukje Market's chewy glass noodles tossed with spinach, pickled radish, fish cake and red chilli sauce
At the crossing of Gukje Market and BIFF Square, near Nampo-dong, women sit behind low tables mixing bibim dangmyeon to order for shoppers perched on plastic stools. Chewy sweet-potato noodles are piled with seasoned spinach, carrot, yellow pickled radish and strips of Busan fish cake, then drenched in a sweet, tangy chilli sauce that you mix with chopsticks. It is a quick, cheap bowl, eaten year round, cold in summer. Chef's tip: rinse the noodles in cold water straight after cooking; it stops them clumping and keeps them bouncy.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 3 ½ oz spinach
- 1 carrotsmall, cut into matchsticks
- 2 ⅛ oz danmuji (yellow pickled radish)cut into matchsticks
- 3 ½ oz eomuk (Korean fish cake sheets)cut into strips
For the sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 garlic clovesgrated
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ½ tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes), 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp sesame oil and 2 tbsp water and leave for 5 minutes so the chilli softens.
5 minStep 2: Boil 5 ½ oz dangmyeon (sweet potato glass noodles) for 6–7 minutes, until translucent and chewy but not soft. Drain, rinse under cold water and cut into shorter lengths with scissors. Common mistake: overcooking them; they turn slippery and mushy and break up when tossed.
8 minStep 3: Blanch 3 ½ oz spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds, rinse in cold water and squeeze dry. In the same water, blanch 3 ½ oz eomuk (Korean fish cake sheets) for 1 minute to heat it through and rinse off excess oil, then drain.
3 minStep 4: Divide the noodles between bowls and arrange the spinach, 1 carrot, 2 ⅛ oz danmuji (yellow pickled radish) and fish cake on top. Spoon over the sauce, scatter with 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds if using, and mix well at the table.
2 minStep 5: Vegetarian version: leave out the fish cake and use pan-fried strips of firm tofu instead.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 82 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bibim dangmyeon take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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