Jjajangmyeon

Jjajangmyeon (Korean Black Bean Noodles)

A beloved Korean-Chinese dish of thick wheat noodles tossed in a glossy, savory black bean sauce made with chunjang, diced pork and vegetables. It is the quintessential late-night delivery order, made easily at home.

Prep

15 min

Cook

20 min

Total

35 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1.1 lb) fresh thick wheat noodles (jjajangmyeon noodles), or 400 g dried thick wheat noodles
• •200 g (7 oz) pork belly or pork shoulder, diced small, about 1 cm cubes; can substitute chicken thigh
• •1 medium (180 g) (6 oz) yellow onion, diced
• •1 medium (150 g) (5 oz) potato, peeled and diced small
• •1/2 small (60 g) (2 oz) zucchini, diced small
• •6 tbsp (about 100 g) (1/3 cup + 2 tbsp) chunjang (Korean black bean paste), essential; do not substitute with Chinese black bean paste
• •2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil, for frying the paste
• •2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (such as canola), for stir-frying
• •3 cups (720 ml) (3 cups) water or anchovy-kelp stock, anchovy-kelp stock gives deeper flavor
• •1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
• •1 tbsp (8 g) sugar
• •1 tsp (5 g) cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp water for a slurry
• •2 cloves (10 g) (2 cloves) garlic, minced
• •1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil, for finishing, optional
• •1 small (30 g) (1 oz) cucumber, julienned, for serving
• •1 to taste (to taste) salt and black pepper

Steps

1. 1 Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chunjang and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the paste darkens and becomes fragrant. This step removes the raw bean flavor and is essential. Set aside.
2. 2 Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles.
3. 3 In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 tbsp neutral oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced pork and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until lightly browned and cooked through (internal temperature 71°C / 160°F). Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. 4 Add the minced garlic and diced onion; stir-fry for 2 minutes until the onion softens and turns translucent.
5. 5 Add the diced potato and zucchini; stir-fry for 2 minutes to coat in the pork fat.
6. 6 Stir in the fried chunjang and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Pour in 3 cups of water (or stock) and add the sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until the potato is fork-tender.
7. 7 Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy, gravy-like consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust salt.
8. 8 While the sauce simmers, cook the noodles in the boiling water according to package directions (usually 4 to 5 minutes for fresh, 6 to 8 minutes for dried) until al dente. Drain and rinse briefly under cool water to remove starch.
9. 9 Divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Spoon the hot jjajang sauce generously over the noodles.
10. 10 Top each bowl with a small mound of julienned cucumber and finish with a few drops of sesame oil. Toss thoroughly at the table before eating so every strand is coated in the black sauce.