Jjajajangmyeon

🥘 Ingredients

• pork belly 600 g
• rice wine (mirin) 3 tablespoons
• salt 5 sprinkles
• ground black pepper 5 sprinkles
• ginger powder ¼ tsp
• large onion 1
• medium zucchini 1
• large potatoes 2
• cabbage ¼ small head
• large cucumber 1
• potato starch 5 tablespoons
• water 4 tablespoons
• lard 90 g
• Korean black bean paste (Chunjang) 6 tablespoons
• brown sugar 2 tablespoons
• chicken stock 1 cup
• water 1 cup
• rice wine (mirin) 2 tablespoons
• fresh jajangmyeon or udon noodles 14 oz
• green peas
• sweet corn
• hard boiled egg
• sesame oil
• oyster sauce

Prep

1. 1

   Rinse pork belly in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Combine with rice wine (mirin) , salt , ground black pepper , and ginger powder . Mix well and marinate for 15 minutes .
2. 2

   Cut large onion , medium zucchini , and large potatoes into small cubes.
3. 3

   Cut cabbage into small to medium pieces.
4. 4

   Julienne-cut large cucumber for garnish. Set aside.
5. 5

   Mix potato starch with water to prepare starch water. Set aside.

Sauce

1. 1

   Preheat a wok until the bottom is well heated. Add lard and melt. Add Korean black bean paste (Chunjang) and stir constantly over medium heat for 3-5 minutes .
2. 2

   Add brown sugar and stir for 2-3 minutes more.
3. 3

   Scoop out the black bean paste without the oil and set aside. Leave the oil in the wok.
4. 4

   Add pork and stir until half cooked.
5. 5

   Add the onion, zucchini, and potato and stir until about one-third cooked, 3-5 minutes .
6. 6

   Add mushrooms and cabbage and stir for 2-3 minutes .
7. 7

   Return the reserved black bean paste to the wok and mix with vegetables. Stir for 1-2 minutes .
8. 8

   Add chicken stock , water , and remaining rice wine (mirin) . Simmer covered over medium heat for 5-7 minutes .
9. 9

   Pour in the starch water and stir to thicken the sauce.

Noodles

1. 1

   While sauce simmers, bring water to a boil in a pot and add fresh jajangmyeon or udon noodles . Cook for 3-5 minutes until done.
2. 2

   Rinse noodles in cold water and drain. Transfer to serving bowls.

Assembly

1. 1

   Pour black bean sauce over noodles. Garnish with julienned cucumber, green peas , sweet corn , hard boiled egg , sesame oil , and oyster sauce .
2. 2

   Mix sauce and noodles thoroughly with chopsticks before eating. Serve immediately — noodles will swell if left to sit. Pairs well with yellow pickled radish.