Jjajangmyeon: Homemade Korean Black Bean Noodles
Mastering Jjajangmyeon at Home: Elevate Your Instant Jjajang Powder with This Secret Recipe for Rich Flavor
Transforming instant jjajang powder into a rich, restaurant-quality black bean sauce with a few of my personal tips. This recipe ensures a delicious jjajangmyeon experience right in your own kitchen!
Jjajang Sauce Ingredients- Jjajang powder mix 100g
- Pork (diced or cut into 1cm cubes) 300g
- Cabbage (finely chopped) 200g
- Onion (finely chopped) 310g
- Carrot (1cm diced) 60g
- Dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked and diced into 1cm cubes) 20g
- Chickpeas (cooked and ready) 40g
- Fresh noodles 300g
- Olive oil 4 Tbsp
- Shiitake mushroom soaking water (for broth) 850ml
- Cornstarch 1.5 Tbsp
Seasoning Ingredients- Cooking wine (Mirin or Sake) 3 Tbsp
- Oyster sauce 1 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
- Sesame oil 1 Tbsp
- Garlic (thinly sliced) 2 Tbsp
- Ginger (julienned) 1/2 Tbsp
- Scallion (sliced diagonally) 1 stalk
- Cooking wine (Mirin or Sake) 3 Tbsp
- Oyster sauce 1 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
- Sesame oil 1 Tbsp
- Garlic (thinly sliced) 2 Tbsp
- Ginger (julienned) 1/2 Tbsp
- Scallion (sliced diagonally) 1 stalk
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Let’s start by preparing the chickpeas. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly under running water about three times. Then, soak them in cold water for about 2 hours until they are well softened.
2. After soaking, place the chickpeas in a pot, add plenty of water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Drain the cooked chickpeas in a colander. They are now ready to be added to the sauce.
Step 2
Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in 850ml of lukewarm water for at least 30 minutes until fully rehydrated. Squeeze out the excess water from the rehydrated mushrooms and dice them into approximately 1cm cubes, along with the carrots. Don’t discard the mushroom soaking water; it will be used as a flavorful broth.
Step 3
Finely chop the cabbage for a tender texture in the sauce. Rinse the chopped cabbage in cold water about three times to remove any bitterness, then drain it thoroughly in a colander. This step helps to prevent the sauce from becoming too watery.
Step 4
Chop the onions into small pieces, similar in size to the cabbage. Chopping all the vegetables finely ensures that the ingredients are well integrated into the sauce, rather than standing out, resulting in a much better jjajangmyeon.
Step 5
Slice the scallion diagonally for aromatics. Julienne the ginger thinly. For the garlic, lightly press the cloves with the side of a knife and slice them thinly (slicing into ‘pieces’) to release more flavor.
Step 6
Dice the pork into bite-sized cubes of about 1cm. Pork ribs provide a tender texture, but other cuts like pork loin will also work well. If you prefer, ground pork is also an option.
Step 7
Heat a deep pan or pot over medium heat and add 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the sliced garlic, julienned ginger, and diagonally sliced scallions. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. You can substitute olive oil with other cooking oils if preferred.
Step 8
First, add the diced carrots and sauté for 1 minute. Then, add the chopped cabbage, onions, and pork. Stir-fry until the pork turns white, indicating it’s cooked through. Once the pork fat has rendered, add the soaked chickpeas and diced shiitake mushrooms, and mix briefly.
Step 9
Pour in the aromatic shiitake mushroom broth (850ml) and stir to combine all the ingredients.
Step 10
Add the seasoning ingredients: 3 Tbsp cooking wine, 1 Tbsp oyster sauce, and 1 Tbsp sugar. Let it simmer over medium-low heat until all the ingredients are tender. The vegetables will release their natural sweetness and umami into the sauce.
Step 11
Now it’s time to add the jjajang powder (100g). After adding the powder, be sure to reduce the heat to low. Stir constantly to prevent sticking and simmer gently until the jjajang powder is well combined with the liquid and the sauce thickens.
Step 12
The original recipe for jjajang powder typically calls for around 700ml of water. However, since I’ve added a generous amount of cabbage and onions, I added an extra 150ml to prevent the sauce from becoming too thick. Adjust the water amount based on the quantity of your ingredients.
Step 13
To achieve the perfect consistency, let’s make a cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl, mix 1.5 Tbsp cornstarch with 2 Tbsp of cold water until smooth. Gradually add about half of this slurry to the jjajang sauce while stirring and check the consistency. Add the remaining slurry as needed until you reach your desired thickness. I found that using the entire slurry gave me the perfect consistency.
Step 14
Finally, drizzle in 1 Tbsp of sesame oil and give it a quick stir. Your delicious jjajang sauce is complete! Turn off the heat and let it sit for a moment for the flavors to meld.
Step 15
Now, let’s cook the noodles. Fill a large pot with 1.5L of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, take your fresh noodles and shake off any excess water before carefully adding them to the boiling water. Stir gently with chopsticks to prevent the noodles from sticking together. It’s crucial to cook the noodles until they are slightly underdone (al dente) before draining them. This preserves their chewy texture.
Drain the noodles in a colander. Then, under cold running water, rub them gently with both hands to rinse them thoroughly. This process removes any starchy taste from the noodles, ensuring a cleaner flavor.
Step 16
Portion the cooked noodles into individual bowls. Heat them in the microwave for about 40 seconds to ensure they are warm when served with the sauce. Warm noodles enhance the overall dining experience.
Step 17
Top the warmed noodles generously with your homemade jjajang sauce and mix well to enjoy! A tip: adding more cabbage and onions to the sauce will bring out their natural sweetness, making your jjajangmyeon even richer and more flavorful. Any leftover sauce can be used to make a delicious jjajang deopbap (rice bowl)!
