Jajangmyeon (Korean Black Bean Noodles)

257

For those of you who like to eat noodles, you are certainly very curious about black noodles or Korean Black Bean Noodles, also called Jajangmyeon. It is called Black Bean Noodles because it uses a savory black bean sauce, usually combined with pork belly, cucumber, cabbage, and zucchini. This is not ordinary food, it tastes delicious and is no less than restaurant-made. So, if you can make Black Bean Noodles yourself, it will be very interesting and you will be lucky to save a lot of money. These noodles with thick black bean sauce are perfect for enjoying with the family during the holidays.

If you are interested in the Korean Black Bean Noodles Recipe, don’t worry, we will share it here for all of you. This is a restaurant-quality noodle dish. You can replace pork stomachs with beef stomachs if you don’t eat pork I don’t eat pork myself, so we often make it by replacing it with beef or beef stomachs. But the recipe I share here is the original recipe using pork belly. Ok, before we study this recipe, let’s first dive into the following definition.

What is Jajangmyeon (Korean Black Bean Noodles)?

Jajangmyeon also known as jjajangmyeon is a Korean-Chinese noodle dish made using Korean black bean paste sauce, then this black sauce is combined with pork belly, cabbage, potatoes, zucchini, and onions. Then serve it with added fresh cucumber or pickled daikon radish, this will balance the taste so that it is satisfying for the connoisseur.

The soybean paste is called Chunjang and is made with fermented Korean black beans added flour and caramelized. Originally made by Chinese immigrants in Korea and then combined with Korean dishes, it is called a Korean-Chinese dish.

You will find this dish of Korean noodles with thick black sauce made from Korean beans in many restaurants, it is served as a special and special food that is very comforting. Even in South Korea, Korean Black Beans Noodles are served as a special dish at special events such as graduations, big days, and so on. So, this is not the usual food there, of course, the taste is no joke, savory and delicious is something that is immediately felt when you hear the name.

We will share with you the recipe for Jajangmyeon or Korean Black Bean Noodles. Get ready, prepare your notes or you can print the recipe card at the end of this article.

Ingredients & Substitutions

For detailed ingredients, please scroll your mouse to the bottom of the article. These are just ingredients in general and ingredients that can replace them.

– Fresh Korean wheat noodles:

You should use fresh wheat noodles, if you don’t have them, you can replace them with udon noodles, or dried wheat noodles, to prepare them you can follow the instructions provided on the packaging.

– Pork belly:

You use pork belly here, but you can replace it with ground beef or use beef belly for a halal version. For vegetarians, you can replace the meat with diced firm tofu.

– Korean-style black bean paste, aka Chunjang:

In the jajangmyeon recipe, Korean black beans are used, the substitute is Chinese black bean paste.

– Neutral oils:

Examples of neutral oils are avocado oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil. Don’t use heavily scented oils like coconut oil or olive oil.

– Onions, and green cabbage, don’t use napa cabbage because it is too watery.

– Zucchini, Green onions,

– Oyster sauce or substitute with vegetarian stir-fry sauce

– Cucumber: as an ingredient for decoration (optional)

Cornstarch Slurry

• Cold water
• Cornstarch or substitute with potato starch
• Sugar

You can get these ingredients at Asian grocery or grocery stores.

Pro-Tips

1. Fry the black bean sauce in oil, this will make the sauce less bitter, and taste smoother.
2. Then boil the noodles until al dente, and make sure you taste them, don’t overcook the noodles for this Jajangmyeon recipe.
3. After the sauce is made, boil the noodles, this is so that the cooked noodles don’t become mushy.
4. Enjoy the noodles as soon as possible, as time goes by, these Korean Black Bean Noodles will become soft in the soup so the taste will change slightly.

Step by Step Instructions

Check out the step by step for making Jajangmyeon (Korean Black Bean Noodles). It consists of four stages, each of which consists of 2 steps.

1. Make Cornstarch Slurry and Fry Bean Paste

– In a small bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, and water, and stir well.

– Then, in a large frying pan, with the heat on high, add vegetables and other neutral oil, and fry the black bean paste for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Then, pour the black bean paste and oil into a separate bowl, leaving a tablespoon of oil in the pan. Strain and discard the remaining oil and reserve the black bean paste.

2. Fry Pork Belly, Onions and Vegetables

– In the same pan, fry the pork belly in oil until cooked. Make the edges brown. Pork fat is the secret to making food delicious, but I don’t eat it, I prefer to use beef stomach or other halal food.

– Add onions, and spring onions, fry until soft, then add zucchini and cabbage and then fry until soft.

3. Finish the Sauce

– Add cooked pork and black bean paste. Stir until mixed well. Mix the cornstarch slurry again pour it into the pan and stir evenly. Then, boil the black sauce until it thickens.

– Season the sauce with oyster sauce.

4. Prepare the noodles to serve with sauce

– In a large pot filled with water, bring to a boil and boil the noodles over high heat without a lid for 3 to 4 minutes or until al dente, drain immediately.

– Now transfer the noodles into a large serving bowl. Pour the sauce over the noodles and garnish with cucumber slices, enjoy immediately!

Storage

Leave this food for up to 4 days, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you want to use it, reheat it using the microwave.

What about freezing, it is not recommended that you freeze Jajangmyeon or Korean Black Bean Noodles. Freezing it will only make the texture soggy when reheated.

Pairing Suggestions

Usually, Jajangmyeon (Korean Black Bean Noodles) is served with Tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork). It is served by adding lots of Korean side dishes such as banchan or spinach salad. You can also serve it with bean sprout salad, stir-fried Korean fish, and with cucumber salad.

Recommendation:

• Easy Santiago’s Green Chili Recipe
• Healthy La Madeleine Pasta Salad Recipe
• Mike’s Farm Mac and Cheese Recipe

FAQs

What do thick Korean wheat noodles look like?

It is long, thick, white, and sprinkled with starch. See the image below.

Can I add other vegetables to jajangmyeon?

Yes, please add any other vegetables, prioritize adding crunchy and low-water vegetables such as carrots.

How do I prepare jajangmyeon in advance?

Yes, you can make the sauce in advance according to the recipe instructions, store the sauce itself in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it will last up to 4 days. When you want to use it, reheat the sauce in a skillet over medium heat and microwave for 2 minutes. When ready to enjoy, boil the noodles and strain, then add to the heated sauce.