Chunjang controlled roasting
The paste loses raw bitterness, but must not burn. Medium heat and constant stirring are more important here than strong tanning.
Korean Recipe
Jjajangmyeon
Chunjang is first roasted in oil so that the paste tastes rounder and less bitter. A starch mixture binds the vegetable sauce just before serving.
Total time
55 min
Calories
760 kcal
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Why this recipe works
Korean noodles with black bean sauce
Jjajangmyeon developed from Chinese roots into an independent everyday Korean dish. Its sauce is based on Chunjang, a dark fermented paste made of wheat and soybeans. The paste must be fried in oil before broth and vegetables are added. Potato starch then ensures the typical shine and that the strong sauce adheres to the thick wheat noodles.
Lunch
Dinner
Meat
Pasta
Recipe
Jjajangmyeon
Jjajangmyeon are Korean-Chinese wheat noodles with shiny black chunjang sauce, pork, lots of onion, cabbage, zucchini and potato.
Ingredients
4 servings
Method
-
1
Toast Chunjang
Heat three tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium heat. Fry Chunjang in it for 3 minutes while stirring constantly, then put oil in a bowl.
-
2
Browning pigmeat
Place the remaining oil in the wok and fry pork for 5 to 6 minutes until the cubes have all around colour.
-
3
Roast vegetables staggered
Fry potatoes and onions for 4 minutes. Add cabbage and zucchini and stir for another 3 minutes.
-
4
Simmer sauce
Stir in roasted chunjang and sugar, pour in the broth and boil. Simmer open for 12 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
-
5
Shiny binding
Mix the potato starch with cold water. Slowly stir into the boiling sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it is thick and shiny.
-
6
Cook the pasta separately
Garnish noodles in plenty of water. Drain thoroughly and spread directly onto four large bowls.
-
7
Place sauce and mix
Add hot Jjajang sauce generously on the noodles and garnish with cucumber strips. Mix thoroughly at the table until all noodles are darkly covered.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Jjajangmyeon
Mix the starch cold
Potato starch clumps in warm liquid. Stir until smooth with cold water and stir again immediately before pouring.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Use less broth and fry the sauce directly in the wok without starch binding. Vegetables remain crisper and the sauce becomes more concentrated.
Replace pork with 400 g shrimp and squid. Cook Seafood completely only in the last 3 to 4 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
760kcal
105.0 gCarbohydrates
31.0 gProtein
25.0 gFat
Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Jjajangmyeon
Chunjang is a very dark Korean paste made of fermented wheat and soybeans. It is not identical to Chinese yellow bean paste or black bean sauce from the glass.
The roasting in oil softens raw, bitter notes and makes the paste more aromatic. Some products are already pre-roasted; the packaging provides information about this.
Fresh Korean Jjajangmyeon noodles are thick and elastic. Alternatively, fresh Udon are better suited than thin egg noodles.
Potato starch binds more strongly as it cools down. When heated, add some water and make the sauce smooth again while stirring.
It originated from Chinese noodles with fermented paste, but was significantly changed in Korea and is now considered a Korean-Chinese classic.
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