Nostalgic Spicy and Sweet Jjolmyeon
How to Make Jjolmyeon: A Deliciously Spicy and Sweet Dish
I had a dream about eating chicken skewers, tteokbokki, and jjolmyeon at a snack bar in front of my high school with my friends. That dream made me crave jjolmyeon so much the moment I woke up! So, I decided to make jjolmyeon for dinner tonight. This recipe brings back fond memories and offers a delightful balance of spicy, sweet, and chewy flavors.
Jjolmyeon Ingredients- Jjolmyeon noodles for 2 servings
- 1/6 head of cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 8 perilla leaves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 carrot, thinly sliced
- 1 hard-boiled egg, halved
Spicy and Sweet Sauce- 4 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 4 Tbsp vinegar
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp minced green onion
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 4 Tbsp grated apple (or 1-2 Tbsp oligodang if unavailable)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- A pinch of black pepper
- 4 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 4 Tbsp vinegar
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp minced green onion
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 4 Tbsp grated apple (or 1-2 Tbsp oligodang if unavailable)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- A pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the fresh vegetables that will accompany the jjolmyeon. Wash the cabbage, onion, and carrot thoroughly and slice them thinly. Wash the perilla leaves and slice them thinly as well. Slicing the vegetables thinly ensures they blend well with the chewy noodles.
Step 2
Now, it’s time to separate the jjolmyeon noodles. If you’re using frozen jjolmyeon noodles, soak them in cold water and gently separate the stuck noodles with your hands. If you have fresh noodles, simply rub them gently with your hands to loosen them.
Step 3
Let’s make the special sauce that will make our jjolmyeon so delicious! In a bowl, combine 4 Tbsp gochujang, 3 Tbsp gochugaru, 4 Tbsp vinegar, 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp minced green onion, 3 Tbsp sugar, 4 Tbsp grated apple (you can adjust sweetness to your preference, and use 1-2 Tbsp oligodang if you don’t have grated apple), 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, and a pinch of black pepper. Mix everything well until thoroughly combined. Tip: For an even richer flavor, prepare the sauce a day in advance and let it chill in the refrigerator.
Step 4
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add a little salt. Add the jjolmyeon noodles and cook. Jjolmyeon noodles tend to stick together more easily than regular somen, so it’s important to stir them gently with chopsticks occasionally while they cook. Boil for about 5 minutes. Once cooked, immediately rinse the noodles thoroughly under cold running water to remove excess starch, then drain them well in a colander.
Step 5
Now, let’s assemble our delicious jjolmyeon! In a large bowl, combine the drained noodles and all the prepared sliced vegetables. Generously spoon the special sauce into the center of the bowl, and top with the halved hard-boiled egg for a beautiful presentation. Your jjolmyeon is now ready!
Step 6
This time, I tried adding grated apple to the jjolmyeon sauce, which is a bit different from my usual recipe where I only use sugar for sweetness. Adding apple gave the sauce a wonderfully mild sweetness and a unique charm that really stimulates the appetite. The subtle fruity notes of the apple seemed to enhance the savory depth of the sauce.
Step 7
My husband really enjoyed it, perhaps even more than usual! I think I’ll definitely be using this special jjolmyeon sauce recipe again. I hope you enjoy this delicious jjolmyeon with its fresh vegetables!
