Since it's summer time, we've got to think of ways to keep cool without throwing all of our money away on the A/C. You could eat ice cream three times a day, but, well, that might put you at a disadvantage bikini-wise when it's time to hit the beach. Salad would be the other extreme, but come on, let's be real here. We're not bunnies, either.

Asians seems to have it down with the cold noodle dishes. We've already seen bun ("boon"), the Vietnamese dish made with rice noodles and topped with a variety of fresh vegetables and grilled meats. Koreans also have a cold noodle dish - naeng-myun.

Naeng-myun is a fairly popular summer time dish in Korea. The noodles are made from buckwheat, cooked,and served in a chilled, sometimes even iced beef broth. The beef broth is made from simmering sort of beef like brisket or flank steak, which, when cooked, is sliced and served on top of the noodles along with a few other ingredients that can include sliced cucumber, pickled radish, sliced Asian pears, and hard-boiled eggs. Koreans also mix a type of mustard into the broth right before serving to add a spicy kick.

The noodle dish also has a much spicier, brothless version called bibim naeng myun. "Bibim" basically translates to "mixed," and is the same word in bibimbahp, the Korean rice dish that mixes steamed white rice with a whole variety of vegetables, meats, and other garnishes. Bibim naeng myun uses the same buckwheat noodles, but instead of placing them in a chille broth, they are combined in the bowl with a spicy pepper sauce along with the same vegetables and sliced meats. This is my personal taste preference, as I love anything so super spicy that it makes me sweat. The fact that the dish is cold and makes me sweat is a great feeling during the hot summer.

Many Asian grocery stores carry naeng-myun, which includes everything to make naeng-myun right in the package. However, they also include an instant powdered base that you mix with water to make the "broth." If you ever get a package of the buckwheat naeng-myun noodles and you're in a real pinch, use the broth base. Otherwise, throw it out and make the broth yourself.

This recipe is based on one from a book called Korean Cooking For You, which I am quite sure is not available for purchase online anywhere (it was published by my Mom's friend years ago). I have made a couple of changes to the original recipe based on how my own mother and I cook it at home.

Naeng-myun (serves 8)

Rinse a half pound of beef brisket, London broil, or flank steak, place in a large stock pot with 1 medium onion peeled and cut in half, 2-3 cloves of garlic, and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Cover wtih 8-10 cups of cold water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour, or until meat is cooked through, skimming foam and fat occasionally.

Discard the onions. Strain the broth into a large container, add 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp sugar, and salt to taste. Place the seasoned broth in refrigerator to chill.

Slice the meat across the grain into thin slices.

Wash and slice about 1/4 of a daikon radish into long, flat pieces (like a ribbon), about 2-3" long. Sprinkle the slices with 1 tsp. vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp.salt. Let stand for a few minutes, then drain. Add 1/2 tsp. red pepper powder and 1/2 tsp sesame oil.

Prepare 2 small pickling cucumbers or one large seedless cucumber the same way as the radish, but without the red pepper.

My mother and I also like to add sliced Asian pears.

Cook buckwheat noodles in boiling water 10-15 minutes until tender. Rinse with cold water 4-5 times, gently squeezing the noodles each time (this will make the noodles "chewy," which they are supposed to be).

Place about a handful of noodles in the bottom of a large bowl for each person. Top noodles with radish, cucumber, meat, Asian pears, and sliced hard boiled egg. Ladle cold, seasoned broth around noodles. Serve hot yellow mustard, vinegar, and soy sauce on table.