Korean Black Bean Sauce Noodles (Jajangmyeon)

Step 1

Rinse the pork in cold water and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Add the pork marinade sauce onto the pork. Mix them well and leave it for 15 mins.

Step 2

Cut the onion, zucchini and potato into small cubes.

Step 3

Thin slice the mushrooms.

Step 4

Cut the cabbage into small to medium size pieces.

Step 5

Julienne cut the cucumber.

Step 6

Pre heat the wok until the bottom is heated well. Add the lard (or cooking oil) and melts it in the wok. Add the black bean paste and stir it constantly on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. (Try not to burn it.) Add the brown sugar and stir it for an additional 2 to 3 mins.

Step 7

Scoop out the black bean paste (without the oil) and set it aside. Leave the oil in the wok to use in the next step.

Step 8

Add the pork into the wok and stir until the pork is half cooked.

Step 9

Add the onion, zucchini, and potato and stir until all are 1/3 cooked (for 3 to 5 mins).

Step 10

Add the mushrooms and cabbages and stir for 2-3 mins.

Step 11

Add the black bean paste (from step into the wok and mix it in with vegetables. Stir for 1 to 2 mins.

Step 12

Add the chicken stock, water and rice wine then simmer it for 5 to 7 mins on medium heat. (Cover the wok with a lid if possible. This will make the cooking process faster.)

Step 13

Add the slurry into the wok then stir it. (This will thicken the black sauce. It is the final stage of making the black bean sauce.)

Step 14

(While working on step Boil some water in a pot and add the noodles when it starts to boil. Boil them until the noodles are cooked (for 3 to 5 mins).

Step 15

Rinse the noodles in cold water and drain. Put them into a serving bowl/plate.

Step 16

Add the black bean sauce (from the step on top of the noodles. You can serve it as it is or decorate it with some cucumber slices, green peas or sweet corn or hardboiled egg.

Step 17

Mix the sauce and the noodles well with chopsticks. Dig in. (It is ideal to have them with some (yellow) pickled radish. Apparently it helps digestion. Also eat it up quickly before the noodles get swollen.)