Buckwheat noodles in iced beef broth — summer in Jilin is saved by a bowl of cold noodles.
Yanbian cold noodles are the Korean community's gift to summer.
In summer, especially in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, cold noodle shops are packed. Buckwheat noodles are boiled, rinsed in cold water, and served in a chilled beef broth with slices of beef, a boiled egg, cucumber and kimchi, finished with sesame seeds. The bowl looks cool before you even taste it.
Cold noodles are a traditional Korean dish and especially beloved in Yanbian. The Korean community regards them as 'long-life noodles', served at weddings, funerals and festivals. Ice-cold, chewy, with a sour-spicy kick from the kimchi, they are the perfect summer relief.
An authentic Yanbian bowl has three essentials: broth, noodles and toppings. The broth is made from beef, cooled and chilled until clear; the noodles are buckwheat, chewy and springy; the toppings include beef, egg, cucumber, kimchi and a scoop of chilled pear or apple shreds for a clean sweetness.
Eating cold noodles is a ritual of slurping. Lift a bundle of noodles, slurp them into your mouth, and the cold broth and chewy strands slide down together — pure satisfaction. After the noodles, drink the soup to the last drop.
Yanbian cold noodles are famous far beyond Jilin. In Shenyang, Dalian, Harbin and even Beijing and Shanghai, you can find their signs. But the most authentic bowl is still in Yanji: freshly pressed buckwheat noodles, a side of guobaorou or grilled meat, and the local way of eating.
When you visit Jilin, have a bowl of cold noodles in summer. In a Yanji noodle shop, watch the master press the noodles and listen to Korean being spoken around you — that chilled bowl carries a people's warmth and wisdom.
