My Grandma’s famous Jajangmyeon is a recipe that holds a very special place in my heart because it’s my favorite dish that my grandmother makes. Growing up, I spent countless hours in the kitchen with her, learning and watching as she cooked. Jajangmyeon was always the dish I begged her to make, and it became our special tradition. Even now, whenever I visit home, she’ll make it a point to cook up a huge pot so we can sit down and have a warm bowl of noodles together.
The noodles are perfectly chewy and coated with the thick and delicious sauce. My grandma’s specialty is that she likes to dice the veggies and pork very finely so that you can easily get a bite of everything.
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INGREDIENTS:
***Please note that you can scale this recipe down or up and adjust the ratios to suit your taste. My family always makes this for a big gathering, so we always go for quite a large portion. You can also chill/freeze the sauce for meal prep.
- A few tbsps of Vegetable oil
- 1 pack of Korean Black Bean Paste (generally 150g per pack)
- 500-750g of Pork (fatty cuts are best – Pork shoulder/butt or pork belly are recommended)
- 2-3 White Onions
- 1-2 large Potato(es)
- 3-4 Zucchinis
- 3tbsp Soy Sauce
- Water
- 2-3tbsp Corn Flour
- Noodles (recommended to get korean fresh noodles or any thick and chewy wheat noodles)
GARNISH
- 1-2 Cucumbers
- hand full of Garlic Cloves (optional)
- Kimchi (optional)
STEPS:
- Add 1tbsp of vegetable oil in a non-stick saucepan on medium heat. Add all of the black bean paste and sauté for about 5min to remove any natural bitterness. This should turn the paste very glossy and thick. Scoop it into a bowl and set aside
- Peel and dice potatoes, dice the white onions, zucchini, and pork into 0.5cm-1cm cubes. Leave the potatoes in some cold water to avoid oxidation
- In a large pot/saucepan over medium heat, add all of the diced pork. Sauté until the fat has rendered out and it’s evenly cooked
- Add onions and saute until they turn slightly translucent
- Add potatoes and 3tbsp of soy sauce. Sauté for 1-2mins
- Add zucchini, then mix
- Add just enough water to almost cover all the ingredients
- Gradually scoop in 4tbsps of the black bean sauce and stir until it’s fully incorporated
- Bring this to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer with a lid and allow the flavors to absorb into the veggies and pork. My grandma likes to leave it to simmer while she is making the other components, so usually she will leave it to simmer for about 20-30min
- Make the garnishes: Thinly julienne the cucumbers, prep a small bowl of kimchi, and peel a handful of garlic cloves
- Give the sauce a taste and see if you need any more black bean paste, soy sauce, or even a touch of salt/sugar. Aim to make the sauce more flavorful, as you will be adding it to plain noodles
- Whisk the cornflour/cornstarch in a small bowl of water. Bring the sauce back to a bowl and slowly pour the slurry in while stirring the sauce. As it cooks, keep stirring until the sauce thickens. Add more slurry until it reaches the desired thickness then turn the heat off
- Cook your noodles, then quickly rinse under cold water to remove extra starch. Drain and serve
- Serve a portion of noodles topped with a lot of sauce along with a handful of cucumber. Mix the sauce through and enjoy with the garlic and kimchi on the side!