Jjajangmyeon (Korean black bean noodles)

Name: Jjajangmyeon (Korean black bean noodles)
Prep time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: korean
Ingredients: 5 tbsp Korean black bean paste; 1 lb fresh Asian wheat noodles; 0.5 lb pork belly; 1 zucchini; 4 oz white cabbages; 1 onion; 0.5 cucumber; 0.5 oz ginger; 2 tsp vegetable oil; 1.5 cups water; 1 tbsp starch; 1 tsp sugar; sesame seed; salt

Based on 18 ratings

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Devan Grimsrud

Food Editor at Kitchen Stories

www.instagram.com/devan.grimsrud/

"This Chinese Korean dish is most popularly eaten on the unofficial holiday known as “Black Day,” observed on April 14 and celebrated by singles in South Korea. Many would probably describe this dish as “ugly delicious,” but delicious all the same. While you can easily halve the sauce recipe to make it for two, I prefer to simply make it all and only half the noodles, as the leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. Add other veg like mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes, swap in a few teaspoons of soy sauce instead of seasoning it with salt, top it with a hardboiled egg, or even serve it with rice if you want. There’s no substitute for the Korean black bean paste, but it keeps for just about ever (2 years or more) in the fridge—so if you struggle to find it, invest in a big jar to avoid having to go out of your way for it again."

Difficulty

Easy 👌

Preparation

35 min

Baking

0 min

Resting

0 min

Ingredients

2Servings

MetricImperial

2½ tbsp

Korean black bean paste

225 g

fresh Asian wheat noodles

125 g

50 g

7½ g

1 tsp

vegetable oil

175 ml

water

½ tbsp

starch

½ tsp

sugar

sesame seed

salt

Utensils

cutting board, knife, peeler, frying pan, rubber spatula, pot, colander, bowl (small)

Nutrition per serving

Cal672

Fat19 g

Protein34 g

Carb90 g

Step 1/6
- 125 g pork belly
- ½ zucchini
- 50 g white cabbages
- ½ onion
- ¼ cucumber
- 7½ g ginger
- cutting board
- knife
- peeler
Chop the pork belly, zucchini, white cabbage, and onion into small pieces. Slice the cucumber into thin matchsticks. Peel and finely mince ginger.
Step 2/6
- frying pan
- rubber spatula
Set a frying pan with a lid over medium-high heat. Fry the pork belly approx. 5 min., then use a spoon to remove any excess fat (if desired). Add zucchini, white cabbage, onion, and ginger to the pan and stir to combine. Let cook until onion is translucent and ginger is fragrant, approx. 5 min.
Step 3/6
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 2½ tbsp Korean black bean paste
- 175 ml water
Use your cooking spoon to make a small hole in the center of the ingredients in the frying pan. Add some vegetable oil and the black bean paste. Stir the oil and paste together and let fry, stirring the whole time to avoid burning and sticking, approx. 1 min. Then stir to combine all the ingredients with the paste. Add water to the pan and cover. Let cook for approx. 10 min.
Step 4/6
- 225 g fresh Asian wheat noodles
- pot
- colander
In the meantime, cook the noodles in salted boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and divide among serving bowls.
Step 5/6
- ½ tbsp starch
- ½ tsp sugar
- bowl (small)
In a small bowl, combine starch with sugar and equal parts water. Add the starch mixture to the pan, little by little, stirring the whole time.
Step 6/6
- sesame seed
- salt
Top noodle bowls with plenty of black bean sauce and garnish with cucumber matchsticks and sesame seeds. Serve immediately, mixing thoroughly before enjoying and seasoning with salt to taste. Enjoy!
Enjoy your meal!