Grilled Eggplant Bibim Naengmyeon: A Unique Summer Delight
Make Delicious Grilled Eggplant Bibim Naengmyeon with Nongshim’s Dungji Bibim Naengmyeon
When you think of summer vegetables, cucumbers and eggplants often come to mind. While I love both, eggplants are particularly appealing on hot, humid days. Today, we’re making Grilled Eggplant Bibim Naengmyeon, a delightful combination of Nongshim’s Dungji Bibim Naengmyeon and grilled eggplant. This dish is inspired by ‘Yan Ji Gui’, a popular dish in Harbin. It’s a perfect summer delicacy that you’ll keep reaching for. Enjoy this unique twist on cold noodles!
Main Ingredients- 1 eggplant
- 1 pack Nongshim Dungji Bibim Naengmyeon
- 800ml water (for boiling noodles)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil (for grilling eggplant)
- 1/2 tsp sugar (for grilling eggplant)
- Pinch of salt (for grilling eggplant)
- 1L water (for steaming eggplant)
Special Garlic Oil Sauce- 12 cloves garlic
- 7 Tbsp cooking oil
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 12 cloves garlic
- 7 Tbsp cooking oil
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The first step to making Grilled Eggplant Bibim Naengmyeon is to steam the eggplant until tender. Start by washing the eggplant thoroughly under running water. Then, trim off both ends of the eggplant.
Step 2
Next, cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. This will make it easier to steam and grill later.
Step 3
Place the cut eggplants onto a steamer rack. If you don’t have a steamer, you can use a large pot with water and cover it with a steaming cloth.
Step 4
Bring 1L of water to a rolling boil in a pot for steaming the eggplant. The water needs to be vigorously boiling to ensure the eggplant steams evenly.
Step 5
Once the water is boiling, carefully place the steamer rack with the eggplant on top. Cover with a lid and steam over medium heat for about 4 minutes.
Step 6
After 4 minutes, lift the lid and check the eggplant by piercing it with a chopstick or fork. It’s perfectly steamed when it pierces easily and feels tender. Be careful not to overcook it, as it can become mushy. Once done, turn off the heat.
Step 7
Let the steamed eggplant rest for a moment to cool down slightly. Importantly, remember that raw eggplant can have a mild toxicity, so it’s essential to cook it thoroughly before eating. Enjoy it safely and deliciously!
Step 8
Now, let’s prepare the naengmyeon noodles. Pour 800ml of water into a pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Boiling the noodles in hot water helps achieve a chewy texture.
Step 9
As the water comes to a boil, add the dried vegetable packet from the Nongshim Dungji Bibim Naengmyeon to enhance the savory flavor.
Step 10
After adding the dried vegetables, immediately add the naengmyeon noodles. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from clumping.
Step 11
It’s important to stir the noodles gently to prevent them from sticking together. Since we’re serving this with grilled eggplant, we’ll cook the noodles for about 1 minute longer than usual. This slightly softens the noodles, creating a better textural balance with the tender grilled eggplant. Overly chewy noodles might clash with the soft eggplant.
Step 12
After 4 minutes of cooking, drain the hot water immediately using a colander. Hot water from cooking can make the noodles lose their chewiness.
Step 13
Now, rinse the noodles thoroughly under cold running water several times. Rinsing with cold water removes any residual heat and adds a delightful springy texture.
Step 14
Gently press the rinsed noodles with your hands to remove excess water. Too much water can dilute the sauce’s flavor.
Step 15
Since we’re serving this with eggplant, you might want to use slightly less noodles than usual. Gently arrange the noodles and set them aside to rest.
Step 16
Next, we’ll make the special garlic oil sauce that adds so much flavor to this dish. First, trim the root end of the whole garlic cloves. This will make them easier to mince.
Step 17
Mince the garlic. It’s better to mince it by hand with a knife rather than using a food processor. The garlic pieces should be neither too large nor too fine; aim for a size where you can truly taste the garlic’s flavor and aroma when you chew. This is the key to this sauce’s deliciousness.
Step 18
Now, let’s get started on the garlic oil sauce! Take a pan with some depth and pour in a generous 7 tablespoons of cooking oil. We need plenty of oil to infuse it with the garlic’s aroma.
Step 19
Add the minced garlic to the oil in the pan. Turn the heat to high and cook until the edges of the garlic just begin to bubble slightly. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
Step 20
As soon as you see the edges of the garlic starting to bubble, immediately reduce the heat to low. Let it gently fry for 2 minutes over low heat to allow the garlic flavor to fully infuse the oil. This process removes any raw garlic taste and leaves behind a rich, nutty aroma.
Step 21
After 2 minutes of frying the garlic, add a pinch of salt to enhance the savory notes. Salt will further elevate the garlic’s flavor profile.
Step 22
Next, add 1/2 tablespoon of sugar for a touch of sweetness. The sweetness will complement the bibim sauce and create a more complex flavor.
Step 23
Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce for a deep, umami flavor. The soy sauce will help balance the overall seasoning.
Step 24
Finally, add 1/2 tablespoon of oyster sauce for an extra layer of savory deliciousness. This completes our special garlic oil sauce!
Step 25
Once all the seasonings are added, stir and cook for about 1 minute. This helps the flavors meld together. Then, turn off the heat and let it sit. This garlic oil sauce is versatile and can be used in many other dishes, so feel free to make a larger batch!
Step 26
Before we assemble the dish, let’s prepare the Nongshim Dungji Bibim Naengmyeon’s bibim sauce. Transfer it to a small bowl and stir to loosen any clumps. This will make it easy to spread later.
Step 27
Now, for the final assembly! In a clean pan, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and spread it evenly. Heat the pan over medium heat. A hot pan is crucial for grilling the eggplant to achieve a delicious texture.
Step 28
When you hear the ‘sizzle’ of the oil heating up, carefully place the steamed eggplant onto the pan. The eggplant will be slightly soft from steaming.
Step 29
As the eggplant touches the pan, press down gently with a spatula to flatten it. Because it was steamed, the eggplant will flatten easily. Flattening it increases the surface area for better grilling and flavor absorption.
Step 30
To season the grilled eggplant, sprinkle a pinch of salt. Be careful not to add too much, as it can become too salty.
Step 31
Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of sugar evenly over the eggplant. The sweetness will enhance the eggplant’s natural flavor.
Step 32
After about 2 minutes of grilling the first side, carefully flip the eggplant with a spatula. You’ll see the skin side has turned a lovely golden brown. If you’re unsure about the timing, you can peek underneath the skin to check for a nice brown color before flipping.
Step 33
Grill the flesh side until it’s also golden brown, which should take about 2 minutes. Then, flip it back again. Both sides of the eggplant should now be nicely grilled.
Step 34
On the grilled flesh side of the eggplant, spoon about 1 tablespoon of the prepared Nongshim Dungji Bibim Naengmyeon sauce and spread it evenly. Make sure to coat the surface well so the sauce adheres nicely.
Step 35
After spreading the bibim sauce on the flesh side, flip the eggplant again. Reduce the heat to low and grill with the sauced side down for about 1 minute. Briefly heating the sauce this way deepens its flavor and helps it meld with the eggplant.
Step 36
Flip it back again after 1 minute. Now, spread another tablespoon of bibim sauce on the un-sauced skin side and grill for about 30 seconds more. This completes the grilled eggplant. It’s important to reserve a little bit of the sauce for garnishing later.
Step 37
Transfer the beautifully grilled sauced eggplant to a serving plate. Place the eggplant first as it’s the main component.
Step 38
Now, it’s time to add the cooked noodles. If the noodles have stuck together after resting, rinse them under cold water again – they should separate easily. After rinsing, be sure to squeeze out any excess water gently.
Step 39
Arrange the drained noodles neatly on top of the grilled sauced eggplant. Make it look appealing, as the combination of noodles and eggplant is visually delightful.
Step 40
Finally, drizzle the reserved bibim naengmyeon sauce over the noodles. The sweet and tangy sauce will provide a balanced flavor to the entire dish.
Step 41
And now for the grand finale! Generously spoon the special garlic oil sauce over the dish. Try to get plenty of the garlic pieces and only a little of the oil. You can save the leftover oil for other culinary uses.
Step 42
Voilà! Your delicious Grilled Eggplant Bibim Naengmyeon is ready! Enjoy this special summer delicacy!
