Milmyeon facts for kids
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| Type | Korean noodles |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Korea |
| Region or state | Busan |
| Main ingredients | Noodles (flour, sweet potato and potato starch), meat broth, vegetables |
Milmyeon (Hangul: 밀면, meaning "flour noodle") is a popular Korean noodle dish. It comes from the city of Busan in South Korea. Milmyeon is known for its long, thin noodles. These noodles are similar to another Korean dish called naengmyeon.
The main ingredients for milmyeon noodles are flour, sweet potato starch, and potato starch. These are mixed together to make the chewy noodles. The noodles are then served in a delicious meat broth. You'll also find different vegetables in the dish. Sometimes, special ingredients like Artemisia princeps (a type of plant) are added. This creates unique versions like ssuk milmyeon.
There are two main types of milmyeon. One is mul milmyeon, which means "water milmyeon". This version is served in a cold, refreshing broth. The other type is bibim milmyeon, or "mixed milmyeon". This one is served with a spicy red sauce that you mix with the noodles.
The Story of Milmyeon's Beginning
The exact start of milmyeon is not fully known. However, there are a few interesting stories about how this dish came to be. Most stories connect its origin to a difficult time in Korean history.
Milmyeon During the Korean War
One popular story links milmyeon to the Korean War (1950-1953). During the war, many people became refugees. They had to leave their homes to find safety. A large number of these people gathered in Busan. This city was safer from the fighting and bombings.
Many refugees came from northern parts of Korea. They were used to eating naengmyeon, which is made from buckwheat flour. However, during the war, buckwheat was very hard to find. The United States Army sent lots of wheat flour to Korea as aid. So, people started using this more available flour to make noodles. They mixed it with starches from sweet potato and potato. This way, they could still make a noodle dish similar to what they knew. This new noodle dish became known as milmyeon.
A Restaurant's New Idea
Another story suggests that milmyeon started in a restaurant in Busan. This restaurant was opened by two people from Hamhung in North Korea. They wanted to make dishes that would be popular with the people living in Busan. They also needed to use ingredients that were easy to get.
So, they created a noodle dish using the flour that was readily available. This allowed them to serve a tasty and affordable meal to many people. This new dish quickly became a local favorite.
