Mul-naengmyeon (Cold Noodle Soup)

Cut the cucumber into 4-inch long strips, then slice them thinly. Place in a bowl, add sugar, salt, and white vinegar. Mix well and set aside.

Peel the Korean pear, remove the core, and slice it thinly. Place the slices in a bowl with 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let it soak to prevent browning.

Hard-boil the egg, peel it, and cut it in half.

In a large bowl, combine the two packages of naengmyeon broth base with 4 cups of cold water. Stir well.

Add the reserved pear juice from soaking the pear slices to the broth. Stir to combine.

Add a large block of ice to the broth. If you don't have a large block, use several ice cubes. Chill in the freezer for about 5 hours, or until slushy.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.

Add 10 ounces of naengmyeon noodles to the boiling water. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Drain the noodles in a fine-mesh sieve. Rinse them thoroughly under cold running water, rubbing them gently with your hands to remove excess starch. This step is crucial for achieving the right texture.

Transfer the rinsed noodles to a bowl filled with ice water. Let them chill for about 5 minutes.

Drain the chilled noodles from the ice bath.

Divide the noodles between two pre-chilled shallow bowls.

Pour the chilled, slushy broth over the noodles in each bowl. Add a few ice cubes if desired.

Arrange the pickled cucumber slices, pear slices, and half a hard-boiled egg on top of the noodles.

Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the dish. Optionally, add a drizzle of mustard oil for extra flavor.

Serve the Mul-naengmyeon immediately while it is still very cold.