Chilled Korean Bibim Guksu Noodles with Cucumber, Pear and Gochujang

Whisk together the gochujang, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey and grated garlic in a small bowl until completely smooth. Set the sauce aside for at least 10 minutes so the garlic mellows into it.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dried somen or thin wheat noodles
• 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 large English cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks
• 1 small Asian pear, peeled and julienned
• 4 large eggs, soft-boiled and halved
• 2 sheets toasted nori, thinly shredded
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• Ice water for chilling the noodles

Instructions

1. Whisk together the gochujang, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey and grated garlic in a small bowl until completely smooth. Set the sauce aside for at least 10 minutes so the garlic mellows into it.
2. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil. Add the somen and cook for just 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often — thin wheat noodles go from perfect to mushy in seconds.
3. Drain the noodles immediately and plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Swish them vigorously with your hands for 30 seconds to rinse away surface starch, which is what keeps the strands slippery rather than gummy.
4. Drain again very thoroughly, pressing gently to squeeze out excess water, then divide the cold noodles among four chilled bowls.
5. Spoon the gochujang sauce over the noodles and toss each portion with tongs or clean hands until every strand is evenly coated in glossy red.
6. Arrange the cucumber matchsticks and julienned pear over the top in neat piles, then nestle two soft-boiled egg halves against the noodles.
7. Shower with shredded nori, toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions.
8. Serve immediately while the bowls are still cold, with extra vinegar at the table for anyone who likes a sharper bite.
9. Bibim guksu — literally 'mixed noodles' — is what Korean home cooks make when the summer heat makes turning on a stove feel like an act of aggression. The sauce leans sweet, sour and fiery all at once, and the raw Asian pear is not a garnish but a structural element: its cool floral crunch keeps the gochujang from overwhelming the palate. Traditionally it appears alongside grilled meat as a cooling counterpoint, but on a July afternoon it is a complete lunch on its own.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 465 kcal
• Protein: 18g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 72g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 13g
• Sodium: 880mg