It is a well-known noodle dish served with black bean sauce, which is made of diced pork (or other types of meat), vegetables, and the salty black soybean paste known as chunjang. You can find it easily at a Korean Chinese restaurant.
Although there are many theories regarding when it was first introduced to Korea, the first Jajangmyeon that is formally recognized came from a restaurant called Gonghwachun () in Incheon, Korea’s Chinatown, back in 1905. Chinese traders brought it over, but over time the flavor changed to suit Korean palates.
It is a very common and easily accessible dish now. However, I used to save this for special events like school carnival days or days of the entrance and graduation ceremonies. You’ll see how special this Jajangmyeon is to me and to most Koreans as a result.
On Korean Black Day (14 April), single people who didn’t receive any gifts or presents on Valentine’s Day (14 February) or White Day (14 March), get together, eat these noodles with a black bean sauce, and commiserate with one another.
So now you have a justification for preparing this delicious noodle dish and a chance to partake in Korean cuisine!
Pre-mix the cornstarch, sugar and water
Making a cornstarch slurry with these ingredients in a small bowl will aid in thickening the jajang sauce.
Below are frequently asked questions about this jajangmyeon recipe:
Where can I buy Korean-style black bean paste?
It should be available at the local Asian market. Search for it in your sauce aisle. It should look something like the below. Additionally, if you’re wondering if you can just use black beans, the results will not be the same, regrettably. You will need this ingredient to make this dish.
Meat and vegetables
The traditional meat choice is pork, but you can also use any type of chicken, beef, or seafood in its place. Of course, you can use lean meat, but the sauce will taste much better with a little pork fat.
Leave out the meat and replace it with some mushrooms and/or fried tofu for a vegan jajangmyeon recipe.
Jajangmyeon typically contains a large number of vegetables, including onion, green cabbage, zucchini, and potato. Particularly the onion and cabbage give the jajang sauce a delicious sweetness. In this recipe, I didn’t use potatoes, but you can if you prefer. Carrots and green peas are also good options.
I used high-quality chicken stock in this jajangmyeon recipe to give the sauce more flavor. Water is also acceptable, but I believe it makes a significant difference.
FAQ
Are black bean noodles healthy?
Regular noodles can be replaced with black bean noodles, which are nutritious and gluten-free. Being a natural source of fiber, black bean pasta is excellent for lowering cholesterol and improving heart health. Compared to regular pasta, this pasta has nearly eight times as much protein and iron.
What makes black noodles black?
Black pasta is made by combining squid or cuttlefish ink with pasta dough, which is typically made from durum wheat semolina flour. The ink both colours and flavours the pasta.
What noodles are used for jajangmyeon?
The best option for jajangmyeon is udon/jajangmyeon noodles, which are thick wheat noodles that are typically served fresh or frozen. They are located in the refrigerated or frozen food sections of the majority of Asian grocery stores. Most frequently, they are identified as udon noodles or jajangmyeon noodles.
Is jajangmyeon the same as black bean noodles?
A thick black bean sauce made from chunjang (black bean paste), diced pork, and vegetables tops the noodles in the Korean dish known as jajangmyeon (also spelled as Korean black bean noodles). Jajangmyeon is frequently served with julienned cucumber, sesame seeds, a hardboiled egg, or a fried egg on top.
