Today I’ll be sharing a dish that I’ve enjoyed since I was very young. I first experienced this black saucy noodle dish when I was 9 years old in Taiwan. In Taiwan, black bean noodles are called Zha Jang Mian which is nearly identical in pronunciation to its Korean counterpart. The noodles I will be sharing today is a deviation from the original Northern Chinese Dish where ground pork is fried with a fermented bean paste creating the name of “炸醬” literally, fried sauce.

The Korean style black bean noodles have been rising in popularity, not only in Asia but all over the world. The black bean paste used in Korean noodles contain caramel and onions in fermentation process creating a thicker and sweeter sauce. In addition, the Korean dish includes diced vegetables whereas the chinese version generally includes ground pork and crumbled tofu.

Yesterday, two of my friends came over to my apartment and we decided to make Jjajangmyun for dinner. When we prepared the noodles, my friend Eunice used what her mom had taught her to do most of the preparation. When I was writing the recipe, I based it off of Maangchi’s website which ended up being pretty similar. These black bean noodles are definitely different from your everyday marinara and alfredo so give it a try and let me know what you think!

Korean Style Black Bean Noodles (Jjangjangmyun)

Ingredients

• 7 Tbsp Korean Black Bean Paste
• 1/2 lb Pork (preferably belly but other stir fry meats work as well)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 3 Tbsp Oil
• 2 Tbsp Corn Starch
• 2 cups Onions, Coarsely chopped
• 1 cup Zucchini, Diced
• 1 cup Potatoes, Diced
• Other veggies to substitute or add in: 1 cup of diced radish
• Jjajangmyun noodles

Directions

Chop the pork into 1/2 inch pieces. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and ginger, stirring frequently to prevent them from burning. After a minute, add the meat and fry until well cooked. When the meat is cooked, add the potatoes and radishes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables ad sauté for another 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of water and let the vegetables and meat boil for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked thoroughly. Skim the foam off the top of the liquid.

While the vegetables are boiling, heat a small skillet over medium heat with 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil. When it is hot, add the black bean paste and stir fry for a minute. When the vegetables and meat is ready, add the black bean paste and mix well.

In a small bowl, mix 2 Tbsp of cold water and 2 Tbsp of corn starch until well combined. While stirring the boiling vegetables and meat, add the corn starch. Add the sugar and stir.

In another pot, boil water. When the water is boiling, add the noodles and stir. When the noodles are cooked, drain and place it in a bowl. Add the jjajang sauce to the noodles and serve.

For dessert my friend served some yummy tomatoes and brown sugar.