Jajangmyeon (Black Bean Noodles)
By Judiaann WooPublished on August 23, 2022
Time
50 minutes
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We prefer to use roasted chunjang for its more complex flavor; you can substitute an unroasted version if that's all you can find. Monosodium glutamate is optional but provides the sauce with deep seasoning. Fresh (or fresh-frozen) Korean udon noodles are often sold in 1-kilogram (35-ounce) packages and contain individual bundles of noodles weighing 8 to 9 ounces each; these are thinner and less chewy than Japanese udon. You can use any size shrimp here.
Instructions
- Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are al dente and paring knife inserted into them meets some resistance, about 3 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander and transfer to bowl; set aside.
- Combine 2 cups onion; chunjang; sugar; oyster sauce; and monosodium glutamate, if using, in second bowl and set aside. Stir 1 cup water and cornstarch together in liquid measuring cup; set aside.
- Cook pork in 14-inch wok or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add scallions and oil to pork mixture and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chunjang mixture and cook until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add cabbage, potatoes, and remaining 2 cups onion and cook until cabbage is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in shrimp and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir cornstarch mixture to recombine, then stir into sauce. Bring to boil and cook, stirring often, until sauce is thickened and glossy, about 3 minutes; remove from heat. (Jajang sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add noodles and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain noodles and rinse under hot running water, tossing gently, for 1 minute. Drain noodles again and transfer to serving bowls. Spoon jajang sauce over noodles. Serve with cucumber and danmuji, if using.
Time
50 minutesYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
This comforting, umami-rich dish of fresh noodles topped with a savory black bean sauce is a beloved Korean classic that emerged from a particular subcategory of Korean cuisine known as Junghwa Yori (Korean-Chinese). It’s built around a key ingredient—chunjang—a Korean fermented black bean paste (not to be confused with Chinese black bean paste), which imparts a unique savoriness and tang. When chunjang is cooked with some oil, meats, vegetables, and seasonings, it becomes jajang sauce; when jajang is served over noodles, the dish is called jajangmyeon. (The same sauce served over rice is known as jajangbap, or black bean rice.) In this recipe, developed by Judiaann Woo, we topped fresh Korean udon noodles with a jajang sauce that incorporated potatoes, cabbage, onions, scallions, pork, and shrimp. The result was far greater than the sum of its parts, with a touch of sweetness, a hint of ginger, and an earthy depth.
Before You Begin
We prefer to use roasted chunjang for its more complex flavor; you can substitute an unroasted version if that's all you can find. Monosodium glutamate is optional but provides the sauce with deep seasoning. Fresh (or fresh-frozen) Korean udon noodles are often sold in 1-kilogram (35-ounce) packages and contain individual bundles of noodles weighing 8 to 9 ounces each; these are thinner and less chewy than Japanese udon. You can use any size shrimp here.
Instructions
- Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are al dente and paring knife inserted into them meets some resistance, about 3 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander and transfer to bowl; set aside.
- Combine 2 cups onion; chunjang; sugar; oyster sauce; and monosodium glutamate, if using, in second bowl and set aside. Stir 1 cup water and cornstarch together in liquid measuring cup; set aside.
- Cook pork in 14-inch wok or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add scallions and oil to pork mixture and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chunjang mixture and cook until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add cabbage, potatoes, and remaining 2 cups onion and cook until cabbage is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in shrimp and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir cornstarch mixture to recombine, then stir into sauce. Bring to boil and cook, stirring often, until sauce is thickened and glossy, about 3 minutes; remove from heat. (Jajang sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add noodles and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain noodles and rinse under hot running water, tossing gently, for 1 minute. Drain noodles again and transfer to serving bowls. Spoon jajang sauce over noodles. Serve with cucumber and danmuji, if using.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
0 Comments