Jajangmyeon

Name: Jajangmyeon
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 4 servings of Fresh Wheat Noodles, jjajangmyeon noodles; about 600 g total; 250g Pork Belly, or pork shoulder; cut into 1 cm cubes; 2 medium Onions, diced; 1 small Zucchini, diced; 1 medium Potatoes, about 200 g; peeled and diced; 2 cloves of Garlic, minced; 120g Korean Black Bean Paste, chunjang; 4 tbsp Vegetable Oil, divided; 1 tbsp Sugar; 400ml Water, or unsalted chicken stock; 2 tbsp Cornstarch; 3 tbsp Water, for the cornstarch slurry; 1/2 Cucumber, julienned; 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil

Jajangmyeon is a comforting Korean-Chinese noodle dish featuring chewy wheat noodles smothered in a deep, savory black bean sauce with tender pork and chunky vegetables. The sauce is slightly sweet and glossy, balanced by crisp cucumber and a finishing drizzle of toasted sesame oil for a fragrant, homey bowl.

Jajangmyeon is a comforting Korean-Chinese noodle dish featuring chewy wheat noodles smothered in a deep, savory black bean sauce ... Show more

Traditional Korean Recipe

Health Grade

D+ · Occasional

Rating

4.0

Time

40 min

Price

2,35 €

Calories

834 kcal

low sugar

kid friendly

comfort food

korean

Method

Prep the ingredients

Peel and dice the Onion, peel and dice the Potatoes, trim and dice the Zucchini, mince the Garlic, and cut the Pork Belly into 1 cm cubes. Rinse the Cucumber, then cut it into thin julienne strips for garnish and keep it chilled until serving.

Fry the paste

Heat 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil in a small skillet over low heat and add the Korean Black Bean Paste. Fry it, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until it smells nutty and loses its raw edge, but do not let it darken.

Cook the pork

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the pork belly and cook until the edges brown and some fat renders, about 3 minutes. Stir in the onion, potatoes, zucchini, and garlic, and stir-fry for 4 minutes more, just until the onion starts to soften and the vegetables look lightly glossy.

Build the sauce

Scrape the fried black bean paste into the skillet, add the Sugar and about 400 ml Water or unsalted chicken stock, and stir until the sauce turns evenly dark. Bring it to a gentle simmer and cook for 8 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. While it simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. In a small bowl, whisk the Cornstarch with 3 tbsp water until smooth, then stir in the slurry and cook for 1 minute more, until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.

Boil the noodles

Add the Fresh Wheat Noodles to the boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until springy and chewy. Drain them well and shake off any excess water so the sauce clings instead of slipping off.

Assemble the bowls

Divide the noodles into warm bowls, spoon the sauce over the top, and finish with the julienned cucumber and a drizzle of Toasted Sesame Oil. Serve immediately, and let everyone mix the sauce through the noodles at the table.