Gan Jjajangmyeon (Dry-Fried Black Bean Sauce Noodles)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 35 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Without a cornstarch slurry, gan jjajang's black bean sauce reaches the noodles as a glossy, oil-carried stir-fry rather than a thick gravy.
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Frying chunjang, the Korean-Chinese black bean paste, before anything else takes away its raw bitterness, and high heat does the thickening that starch would otherwise do. Onion pulled off while just turning translucent keeps some bite, which matters in a sauce with nothing starchy to hide behind.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Dice 200g onion and 100g zucchini into 1cm pieces so they cook evenly.
Put the noodle water on to boil, then preheat a heavy pan over high heat until the surface feels hot.
- 2
Add 2 tbsp cooking oil, lower the heat to medium, and fry 3 tbsp black bean paste for about 30 seconds.
Stir constantly, then remove it once it darkens, looks glossy, and smells roasted instead of raw.
- 3
Return the same pan to high heat and spread in 180g ground pork.
Break it up as it cooks, and keep frying until the liquid evaporates and the edges of the meat begin to brown.
- 4
Add the onion and zucchini and stir-fry over high heat for 2-3 minutes.
Stop when the onion turns slightly translucent and sweet-smelling, while the vegetables still hold their shape and are not mushy.
- 5
Add the fried black bean paste, 1 tsp sugar, and 120ml water.
Stir over high heat for 3-4 minutes, scraping the pan, until the sauce reduces, turns glossy, and coats the meat and vegetables.
- 6
Boil 320g fresh wheat noodles in the boiling water according to the package time, then drain well.
Transfer to bowls, spoon the hot sauce over immediately, and toss broadly so the oily sauce coats every strand.
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