Korean Black Bean Noodles
Bunsik-style jjajangmyeon begins by frying chunjang in oil to mellow its bitterness, then stir-frying ground pork with onion, zucchini, and potato before simmering in water and thickening with a starch slurry. The chunjang's deep salinity and the onion's natural sweetness form the sauce's backbone, while the potatoes partially break down and add body. The starch-thickened sauce coats the chewy wheat noodles in a dense layer so every strand carries a full hit of flavor. The noodles are rinsed briefly in cold water after boiling to maintain their springy texture.
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Instructions
- 1
Dice onion, zucchini, potato, and pork into small cubes.
- 2
Fry black bean paste in oil for 1 minute to mellow bitterness, then set aside.
- 3
In the same pan, cook pork first, then add vegetables and stir-fry 4-5 minutes.
- 4
Add fried paste, sugar, and water; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
- 5
Thicken the sauce with starch slurry.
- 6
Boil noodles, rinse briefly, drain, and top generously with sauce.
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