Spicy & Sweet Chinese-Style Stir-fried Pork Noodles
A Fiery Transformation of Pork Leg Meat: Delicious ‘Jung Hwa Je Yuk Myeon’
This recipe is part of a project from ‘Matnam’s Square’ in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and ‘Man-gae Recipes’ to support local agricultural products. This time, from Yeongcheon, Gyeongbuk! We’re challenging ourselves to boost the consumption of less popular, lean pork leg meat and garlic. The meeting of pork leg and minced garlic! A spicy, Szechuan-inspired stir-fry creates ‘Jung Hwa Je Yuk Myeon’. Experience a familiar yet new sweet and spicy flavor profile.
Key Ingredients- 3 Tbsp cooking oil
- 200g ground pork (pork leg)
- 1 Tbsp doenjang (fermented soybean paste)
- 1 Tbsp coarse gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp guk-ganjang (soy sauce for soup)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1/2 cup water (approx. 100ml)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- A pinch of black pepper
- 1/4 zucchini
- 1 large cabbage leaf
- 1/2 onion
- 1 stalk green onion
- 2 portions frozen jung-hwa noodles
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vegetables. Wash the zucchini, cabbage, and onion thoroughly and cut them into long, thin strips. For the green onion, separate the white and green parts. Finely chop the white part for making green onion oil and thinly slice the green part for garnish.
Step 2
Heat a pan over medium-low heat and generously add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil. Add the finely chopped white parts of the green onion and slowly stir-fry to create fragrant green onion oil. Once the green onion turns golden brown, you can remove it or leave it in the pan for the next step.
Step 3
Once the green onion oil is fragrant, add the ground pork to the pan and stir-fry over high heat. Break up any clumps with chopsticks or a spatula as you cook. Continue to stir-fry until the pork is no longer pink.
Step 4
When the pork is mostly cooked, add 1 tablespoon of doenjang, 1 tablespoon of coarse gochugaru, and 1 tablespoon of fine gochugaru. Stir-fry together with the pork, ensuring the seasonings coat the meat evenly, for about 1 minute. This step deepens the flavor of the sauce.
Step 5
Now it’s time to add the remaining seasonings. Add 1 tablespoon of guk-ganjang, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of gochujang. Mix well. Then, add 1/2 cup of water (approx. 100ml), 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Stir everything together and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook for about 3 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, completing the stir-fry sauce.
Step 6
In the same pan or a separate one, push the prepared pork mixture to one side. Add the julienned zucchini, cabbage, and onion to the empty side and stir-fry until they are about halfway cooked. Once the vegetables are slightly tender, combine them with the pork mixture and stir-fry together, allowing the vegetables to absorb the sauce. Be careful not to overcook, as the vegetables can become mushy.
Step 7
In a large pot, bring plenty of water to a rolling boil. Add the frozen jung-hwa noodles and stir to separate them as they cook, adding a splash of cold water if they stick together. Cook until the noodles are al dente, then drain them thoroughly. Place the drained noodles in a serving bowl. It’s important to cook the noodles to achieve their signature chewy texture.
Step 8
Finally, generously top the noodles with the delicious stir-fried pork mixture. Sprinkle the finely chopped green onion garnish over the top, and your spicy, sweet, and fiery ‘Jung Hwa Je Yuk Myeon’ is ready! For an extra touch, you can add a fried egg or some seaweed flakes.
