Spicy Jajangmyeon (noodles with black bean sauce)
This recipe is a slight variation from the classic Korean version in terms of ingredients. The typical ingredients used in the Korean version are pork, potatoes, onion, zucchini, and cucumber as garnish. However, this recipe includes bacon and eggplant, which add a smoky flavor and creamy texture to the dish. Trust me, this tastes amazing!
These black bean sauce noodles, called ‘Jjajangmyeon’, are one of my ultimate comfort and nostalgic foods. They remind me of my childhood memories when my family occasionally went out to a Korean-Chinese restaurant. As a kid, I used to eat a slightly bigger-than-adult-size bowl, much to everyone’s amazement. I had a big appetite even as a small girl!
What is Jajangmyeon
Jajangmyeon, also known as Korean Black Bean Sauce Noodles, is a popular dish that is typically made with pork, seafood, potatoes, onions, and zucchini, all cooked in a fermented black bean sauce. The dish has a Chinese origin as Chinese migrants in Korea created a similar dish called Zhajiangmian in the late 19th century. However, over time, it was modified to suit the Korean palate. It is now a popular and affordable meal often enjoyed at social and family gatherings. Despite its Chinese roots, the Korean version of black bean noodles has a distinct flavor that is different from the Chinese version.
The taste of Jjajangmyeon is a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors, with a full umami taste. It is a dish that can impress even those new to Korean cuisine. If you are not a fan of spicy food, you can still enjoy this dish by omitting the Korean chili paste (Gochujang).
If you’ve watched the Korean movie ‘Parasite’, you may remember Japaguri noodles (Ram-don) that appeared in the movie. Japaguri is actually one of the commercial instant noodle versions of Jajangmyeon.
Ingredients Explained
The ingredients used in my version of Jjajangmyeon are different from those used in the classic version. My recipe is quicker and healthier than the traditional one, with lighter vegetables that provide a variety of textures.
☑️Fermented Black Bean Sauce (Chunjang): Chunjang is a Korean sauce that is made using fermented wheat flour, soybeans and caramel sauce. It has a unique flavor that is salty, sour and slightly bitter. To reduce the bitterness and sourness of the sauce, it should be fried for a few minutes rather than being added straight to the vegetables. You can easily find pre-fried black bean sauce at Korean and Asian grocery stores. In case you are unable to find pre-fried Chunjang sauce, you can prepare non-fried Chunjang sauce for 3-4 minutes with some oil before cooking.
☑️Soy sauce: When you heat soy sauce in a pan, it changes its flavor profile slightly, becoming slightly caramelized and bringing out the subtle sweetness of the sauce, while increasing the umami taste. To achieve this, heat up a pan and pour in some soy sauce for a minute or so. Then, add your other ingredients and mix them all together.
☑️Sugar: When cooking a dish that contains fermented black bean sauce, adding a small amount of sugar can help to balance the flavors. It reduces the saltiness and bitterness, while also creating a more harmonious taste. A small addition can make your dish taste like a special tasty treat.
☑️Gochujang: Gochujang is not an essential ingredient in the classic version, but I’m making a slightly spicy one. Nowadays, you can easily buy Korean chili paste in supermarkets. This spicy and sweet fermented chili paste has gained a lot of popularity in modern Western restaurants, beyond just Korean restaurants.
Gochujang is a Korean chili paste made with fermented soybeans, glutenous rice, salt and chili powder. It has a slightly spicy flavor with a mellow sweetness in the background. Even if you’re not a big fan of spicy food, you can still enjoy a dish that has a moderate amount of Gochujang due to the sauce’s subtle mellow sweetness.
☑️Bacon: Usually, Jjajangmyeon is made with pork or seafood or mixture of both proteins in some cases, but I used bacon that brings out a smoky and amazing umami flavor.
☑️Eggplant: Although eggplant is not a traditional ingredient in classic recipes, it is a perfect addition to provide creaminess to chewy noodles. To prepare the eggplant, simply sprinkle some salt on top to draw out excess moisture and enhance its flavor when combined with sauces. This will also help reduce the amount of oil needed for cooking. Before cooking, make sure to lightly squeeze the salted eggplant to remove any excess water. If you happen to sprinkle too much salt to eggplant, you can rinse it off with water to reduce the saltiness. Eggplants are ready to use when they are flexible and bendable, not stiff.
☑️Capsicum: Red capsicums, optional but add color and crunch to noodles.
☑️Green peas: You can use either fresh green peas or frozen peas, but I prefer to use frozen ones. This is because frozen peas are already flash-steamed before being packed and sold, which helps to preserve their vivid green color and vitamin C. To defrost them, simply soak them in cold water and add them to the dish in the last minute for a couple of minutes until they are warmed.
☑️Noodles: For the best results, I recommend using thick, fresh noodles. You can find these types of noodles in the refrigerated section of an Asian supermarket. Cook them according to the package instructions. However, if fresh noodles are not available, pasta noodles and fettuccini will work just as well.
Ingredients
Sauces and other ingredients
- 4 pieces of bacon
- 2 tbs of black bean sauce
- 1 tbs of soy sauce
- 1/2 - 1 tbs of Gochujang
- 1 tbs of sugar
- Fresh thick noodles or pasta noodles for 2
- Water 1/3cup
- Corn starch 1 tbs
- 3 tbs of cooking oil of your choice
Vegetables and aromatics
- Eggplant 1 medium size
- Green peas 1 cup (frozen or fresh)
- Onion 1 medium size
- Spring onion 2 stalks
Instructions
Preparation Steps
❶ To prepare eggplant, cut it into cubes of 1-2 cm size and sprinkle some salt over it. Keep it aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
➋ Next, cut the onion and shallot (spring onion) into small pieces. Cut the bacon into small pieces as well.
➌ Defrost them by soaking in cold water if you are using frozen green peas, . If you are using fresh green peas, flash boil them and then move them into ice water to preserve their green color.
➍ Defrost green peas by soaking them into cold water. If you use fresh green peas, flash boil then soak them in an ice water to keep green colour intact.
Cooking
1. Heat up a wide pan or wok over medium-high heat
2. Once the pan is hot enough, add 1/2 tablespoon of oil and sauté the bacon for a couple of minutes.
3. Add onion and shallot to the pan and sauté for a few minutes. The onions do not have to be thoroughly cooked.
4. Add eggplant to the pan and stir it with other ingredients in the pan until it becomes soft.
5. Make some space in the pan to add soy sauce and sugar. Scorch the soy sauce and sugar for a little while on a hot pan (see note).
6. Add a little more oil and black bean sauce into the pan and fry a little separately from the vegetables and aromatics. Then, stir the soy sauce and fried black bean sauce with the vegetables and cook for a few more minutes.
7. Add Gochujang to the pan and mix it well.
8. While the sauce is being cooked, cook fresh noodles according to the package instruction.
9. Add the green beans to the pan. Prepare a mix starch and water in a mixing bowl.
10. Add the starch water mix into the pan to thicken the sauce and stir it well. If the sauce is too dry, add more liquid as needed.
11. Once the noodles are cooked, you can either put them into the pan with the cooked sauces or pour the sauces into a bowl of noodles.
12. Garnish it with chopped spring onion.
Notes
Remember these cooking tips:
- The white part of the spring onion is great for frying, as it has a subtle sweetness when frying in oil.
- Before cooking, it's best to squeeze the lightly salted eggplant to remove its excess water.
- Scorching soy sauce on a hot pan gives it a slightly caramelised umami flavour.
- When making black bean sauces with vegetables, the sauce should be a little thick with velvety texture after adding in starchy water. If the sauce is too watery, you can add more starch to make it silky and velvety.
- Remember to pour the sauce on top of the noodles or add noodles directly into the sauce.
