Mak-guksu[1] (막국수) or buckwheat noodles[1] is a Korean buckwheat noodle dish served in a chilled broth and sometimes with sugar, mustard, sesame oil or vinegar.[2] It is a local specialty of the Gangwon province of South Korea, and its capital city, Chuncheon.[3] Jaengban-guksu is a type of makguksu in which buckwheat noodles and various vegetables are mixed in a tray.[4]
 | |
| Alternative names | Buckwheat noodles |
|---|---|
| Type | Guksu |
| Place of origin | Korea |
| Serving temperature | chilled |
| Main ingredients | Buckwheat noodles, broth, vegetables |
| Similar dishes | Naengmyeon |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 막국수 |
|---|---|
| Revised Romanization | mak-guksu |
| McCune–Reischauer | mak-kuksu |
| IPA | [mak̚.k͈uk̚.s͈u] |
Ingredients and preparation
editMakguksu is closely related to naengmyeon, the archetypal Korean cold noodle dish. However, its differences lie in the high concentration of buckwheat flour in its noodles — the result of the grain being a staple crop in the Gangwon-do area, and the use of greater amounts of vegetables. The dish gets its name "rough noodles" because the buckwheat used is generally unhulled.
Makguksu is usually prepared directly from buckwheat seeds which have been soaked and ground into a paste. Since buckwheat is less glutinous than most grains, buckwheat flour is particularly difficult to knead, roll, and slice into noodles by hand; thus, the noodles are often created in a hand-cranked noodle-making machine instead.
It is difficult to generalise regarding makguksu's accompanying ingredients. Ingredients are traditionally determined by the customer rather than the restaurant owner, and many restaurants also carry their own unique flavouring recipes. In most cases, makguksu is very spicy, sometimes seasoned with gochujang (hot chile pepper paste). Various types of kimchi can be added as well: nabak kimchi, dongchimi or baechu kimchi.[5] Many recipes also add various vegetables and/or soy sauce. Banchan (side dishes) vary in equal measure. In the Chuncheon area, the dish is frequently accompanied by boiled beef or pork; elsewhere, it may be served with bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) or gamjajeon (potato pancakes).
Chuncheon
editMakguksu has become a large part of the identity of the Chuncheon region. In recent decades, a "buckwheat noodle street" featuring more than a dozen makguksu restaurants has developed in the downtown area. There is a makguksu museum, and the city also hosts the annual Chuncheon Makguksu Noodle Festival, featuring makguksu tastings and other celebrations.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b (in Korean) "주요 한식명(200개) 로마자 표기 및 번역(영, 중, 일) 표준안" [Standardized Romanizations and Translations (English, Chinese, and Japanese) of (200) Major Korean Dishes] (PDF). National Institute of Korean Language. 2014-07-30. Retrieved 2017-02-15.
- 주요 한식명 로마자 표기 및 표준 번역 확정안 공지. National Institute of Korean Language (Press release) (in Korean). 2014-05-02.
- ^ Kim, Violet "Food map: Eat your way around Korea" Archived 2012-04-08 at the Wayback Machine CNN Go. 6 April 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-12
- ^ (in Korean) Makguksu at Doosan Encyclopedia
- ^ "쟁반국수". terms.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-05-09.
- ^ (in Korean) Makguksu Archived 2011-06-10 at the Wayback Machine at Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
- ^ (in Korean) Chuncheon Makguksu Festival at Doosan Encyclopedia
External links
edit
- Recipe and info of Makguksu at Korea Tourism Organization
- Makguksu museum
- Chuncheon Makguksu and Dakgalbi Festival