Hello hello everybody! : )
I’m re-introducing jjajangmyeon recipe (noodles in black bean sauce) to you today with a new, updated video. I originally uploaded a video showing you how to make jjajangmyeon in 2007, not long after I started posting to YouTube. Yes, it was 5 years ago! Time flies too fast!
That video was so popular that I decided to make a new version that’s easier to follow, and also shows you how to make jjajangbap with rice instead of noodles.
Jjajangmyeon is everybody’s favorite food. It’s actually a very popular Korean Chinese dish, created by early Chinese immigrants in Korea, catering to Korean tastes. Tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) is another example. The almost caramel taste of the savory black bean sauce over the thick, chewy wheat flour noodles makes for a really unique taste and texture. When I was young, a plate of jjajangmyeon from a Chinese restaurant always made me excited. When you order it delivered they bring you the noodles in a special tin box in under 30 minutes! I usually ended up covered in jjajang sauce and my mom had to give me a Kleenex.
Koreans even have a nonofficial celebration for jjm on April 14th, when single people celebrate their shared loneliness on Black Day with a bowl of jjajangmyeon.
Enjoy the recipe!
Ingredients for 2-3 servings
- jjajangmyeon noodles
- ½ pound pork belly, cut into ½ inch cubes (about 1½ cups’ worth)
- 1 cup of Korean radish (or daikon), cut into ½ inch cubes (about 1 cup’s worth)
- 1 cup of zucchini, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 cup of potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1½ cups of onion chunks
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- ¼ cup and 1 tablespoon of chunjang (Korean black bean paste)
- 2 tablespoons of potato starch powder, combined with ¼ cup water and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl, set aside
- 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
- ½ cup cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks for garnish
- water
Directions for making jjajang sauce
- Stir-fry the pork belly in a large, deep wok (or pan) with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil for about 4-5 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
- Pour out the excess pork fat.
- Add radish and stir fry for 1 minute.
- Add potato, onion, and zucchini and keep stirring for about 3 minutes until the potato looks a little translucent.
- Clear a space in the center of the wok by pushing the ingredients to the edges.
- Add 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil to the center of the wok, then add ¼ cup of black bean paste and stir it with a wooden spoon for 1 minute to fry it. Then mix everything in the wok and keep stirring.
- Add 2 cups of water to the wok and let it simmer and cook with the lid closed for about 10 minutes.
- Open the lid and taste a sample of the radish and potato. If they’re fully cooked, stir in the starch water little by little. Keep stirring until it’s well mixed and thick.
- Add the sesame oil and remove from the heat.
- Serve with noodles (jjajangmyeon) or steamed rice (jjajangbap).
Make jjajangmyeon
Noodles for jjajangmyeon can be found at Korean grocery stores. The noodles are thick and chewy.
- Boil the noodles in a large pot and drain. Rinse and strain in cold water.
- Put one serving of noodles onto a serving plate and add the jjajang sauce over top. Garnish with cucumber strips and serve immediately with kimchi or yellow pickled radish.
Make jjajangbap
- Make one serving of rice, and add the jjajang sauce over top.
- Garnish with cucumber strips on top of the jjajang sauce and serve it with kimchi or yellow pickled radish.
Hi, Anonymous who don’t eat pork
I used beef instead of pork. If you don’t eat meat, skip it. It’ll still be delicious as long as you make delicious stock. You like korean dramas? I know there are many scenes of eating food in Korean dramas. : ) I don’t know about the color of this dish. Mine is the most delicious! : )
i dont eat pork. is it neccessary to put it to make the sauce?
how come in the k-dramas, the sauce seems to be darker and thicker?
looks tasty anyways.
Shaye,
I’m glad to hear about your successful jja jang myun!
Thank you for letting me know about it.
I want to thank you for posting your recipes and instruction! I cooked Jja jang Myun for Valentine’s Day and it was a huge success! My boyfriend’s mother was very satisfied with it when she tasted it! They said it was better than it is in the restaurants!
Thanks again Maangchi for all of your help! I look forward to cooking more of your recipes!
Shaye.
Ruth,
I hope you have no problme with finding the noodles.
Thanks, Maangchi. I don’t want you to shop the noodle with me, I want to actually eat all the food you cook for this blog instead!!! Anyway, I’ll keep searching for the noodle. Shall let you know when it’s found.
ruth
Hi,Gourmet Ruth, : )
I can’t help smiling while reading your comment. I can see how desperately you are looking for the hard chewy noodles.
I’m sure you will be able to find the noodles. You said, “Wang” ? or “Wong” I guess. I have never paid attention to a brand name when I buy the noodles. Go to freezer section at a korean grocery store and find thick noodles wrap in plastic wrap.
I wish I could visit a korean grocery store with you to get it for you. : )
Or ask a grocery owner “I would like to buy noodles for Jja Jjang Myun”
Thanks, the jja jiang is a success, very yummy. But not the noodle, I can’t find your noodle. I bought another korean brand frozen noodle which is very soft. I only like hard, chewy elastic noodle. Did you use Wang oriental style noodle? Have I got the name correct? I have been searching from korean stores here but couldn’t find this brand. Are there other brands which I can use? I have been searching for this hard chewy noodle for years. I know they must be available because the jja jiang myun served from the korean restaurants here is really chewy. I tried many brands already but still failed to find it. Please help me, Maangchi!!! (tho’ the jja jiang is also very good on rice, hard chewy noodle is still my favourite)
Thank you!!!
ruth
Yes, there are spcial noodles for jja jaang myun. They are more chewy
and thiker than usual noodles. The noodles are usually sold frozen.
hi, i was suearching for ways to make jja jang myun… finally i saw ur video in you tube i came to your blog. well, i havent tried it yet but i does look tasty.. would love to try it.. so, i have aquestion, what noodle to use? there is a special noodle for jja jang myun right? so, what if i can’t find it at my place.. what other noodle could work? do you have the recipe to make the noodle?thanks
Hi,fifth
Yes, I kept the left over jja jaang sauce in my refrigerator for a couple of days. But no more than 1 week! : ) You can reheat it and put it on fresh warm noodles when you eat it again. No problem.
Hi,Maangchi:
First thank you for all your efforts. I made grilled beef the other day. It was soooooo awsome. I just have one question about “jja jaang myun”. From what I saw from videl, you made a big amount of “jja jaang myun” sauce, however you only use a small portion on noddles. What do you do with the rest? Can it be kept for a long time for later convinience?
Thanks
Rena,
I’m glad to hear your success in making jja jaang myun.
Hi there! I just made Ja Jung Myun after watching your video today! it was SOO YUMMY!! taste like the ones i had in restaurants! except with less grease which is what i always wanted~ =) I really love your cooking videos! thank you for showing us how to cook these delicous korean recipes!
Hi there! i just made the jja jung myun right after watching your video~! ITS SOOO YUMMY!! taste like the ones in resturants!! except with less grease which is what i wanted~ thank you for teaching us how to make it!! i love watching your cooking videos~!
I made this for dinner tonight…delicious!
Please keep making more videos!
lisa in panama
hi,tokii,
It’s called “Dol sot bibimbab”. Dol sot means stone bowl. : )
Your grandmother must be an expert in cooking : )
I love your jajangmyun video!!
I’ve been looking for a recipe that is good for a while, and items that I can actually find in my local asian grocery store!
I have a question though, I know this is unrelated to jjangmyun but what is this korean dish? My grandmother always use to make it for me and they serve it alot in restaruants.
Its a stone bowl, that is heated so its very hot and on the bottom there is rice and layers of meat vegetables and bean sprouts and then you either crack a un-cooked egg on top of the bowl and mix it all together or put a fried egg on top. I’m really curious what it is called! ><
Hi, Lisa from Panama,
I’m smiling at your story that your interest in korean cooking comes from Korean dramas! Unfortunately, I don’t have much chance to see Korean dramas.
The other day, I went to a hair salon run by a Korean in koreatown. I asked my hairdresser if he sees people eating food in Korean dramas. He said,
“Yes, right. a couple of days ago, at the end of work, all we were watching a Korean drama while working, and saw some people eating jja jang myun which made my mouth watery. Right after finishing work, all my employees and I went to a restaurant to eat Jja jang myun”
Thanks for the recipes! My teenage daughters and I love to watch Korean dramas and have become interested in Korean cooking from them! We live in Panama and my daughters do some Japanese cooking they learned from my mother-in-law who is Japanese, but we are excited to try the spicier Korean cooking too.
Thanks!
lisa in panama
Hi,Lilian,
sure, right after my oee kimchi(cucumber kimchi) runs out, I will make a video.
Thanks,
Hi Maangchi,
Thanks for the new video. I would also like to see the oee kimchi recipe. I have a ton of cucumbers this year and I like them much better pickled than fresh. I think I will try jja jang myun in a restaurant before I try cooking it. This looks like a good, hearty dish.
Ginger,
I am not sure!
I buy blackbean paste at a korean grocery store. It’s called “Chun Jang” or “Jja jang”.
I have never seen blackbean sauce which contains clams in it.
The color of chunjang is very black and salty.
When you buy it in a korean grocery, get it brand name “haechandeul”.
Good luck with Jja jang myun.
Hi Maangchi! I’m back to watch the video because I needed to write down the ingredients. Just a question though for the black bean paste. Is that the same one that’s used in Chinese dishes? For example, clams in black bean sauce? I have a small jar of XO Black Bean paste but I can’t imagine using that for this recipe. Can you just clarify for me?
Thanks!! =)
Dear,Anonymous,
Oee kimchi (cumcumber kimchi)! sure, when my oee kimchi runs out, I should make a cooking video for you. I made 8 heads of cabbage kimchi yesterday which was an all day project. : ) The recipe is the same as the one in my cooking video.
Be sure to wait until the sweet rice porridge cools down before you mix oysters, green onions,crushed garlic, and strips of radish. I was too busy to explain it in my cooking video.
And after putting your kimchi in a container, be sure to seal it tightly by pressing the top with your hand to prevent air from coming inside.
I love your show. It’s the best. I’m gonna try your kimchee recipe. Please post OYEE kimchee recipe too.
Yumi
hi,blackaugust,
Did you see the metal box made of tin for delivery of chinese food in a korean drama? : )
Jja jang myun dish is created in Korea, but many koreans think it is chinese food because it is sold in a chinese restaurant. I have never met any chinese who knows about “Jja jang myun” so far.
It is cheap, convenient, and quick lunch for many people. When you order 8 plates of Jja jang myun over the phone, they usually bring it in 30 minutes in a tin box.
This is the Chinese inspiration for this dish:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhajiang_mian
http://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/작장면
Hi Maangchi, I have seen that special metal box for delivering food in many Korean dramas. Want I am interested to know is: Why do Koreans usually get Jja Jang Myun from a Chinese Restaurant? Is it a Chinese or Korean dish? Just a question that I am interested to know. Thanks!
James,
What kind of “Bean paste(Doen Jaang)” did you buy?
It’s not sour taste at all.
You mentioned “tub” which means “tube”? A tube of bean paste?
I wouldn’t buy bean paste or hot pepper paste in a tube.
Brand name “Hae Chan Deul” or “Wang” are good.
When you make “Doenjang stew” or “Doen jang soup”, you should add some dried anchovies or shrimp or clams to make it taste better.
Regarding “Jja Jang Myun”(Black bean noodles), you can eat it with rice instead of noodles if it is not easy for you to find proper noodles.
Thanks,
Hi Maangchi, it’s me again. I made 자장면 before but I didn’t have the right noodles. Thanks for the instructions. Next time I’ll buy the right kind.
I have a question about 된장. Is it supposed to have a hint of sourness? I made the soup with tofu but there was a sour taste that I did not like. Is it from the bean paste? I bought a big tub and I don’t know what to cook with it.
Lisa,
Thanks for your story and email.
I know my decision to make cooking videos was a good one when I hear this kind of story.
I have been to San Francisco some years ago. I still have good memories whenever I think about the city. Beautiful houses on hillsides, ocean. As a tourist, I thought everybody in San Francisco looked cool. Even a beggar on the streets looked fashionable. He was wearing a leather coat which made me surprised.
Hello,
I just wanted to tell you that I found your videos on youtube.com this weekend, and I have watched them all! They are so great.
I am a Korean Drama addict, and came to learn about cooking Korean food from watching them. I am a mom of 3 kids and live in the San Francisco Bay Area–but had never had Korean food until last summer. That is when I started watching k-dramas (I started with My Girl and Full House and moved on from there) and my husband took us to Japantown and we ate at Seoul Garden restaurant. I taught myself to make Bulgogi and Bibimbap, but have been struggling to learn more. I also make a korean chicken stew recipe that I found online (it has potatoes and carrots and red chilli pepper in it).
I am a total “white girl”–blonde, blue eyes–and was raised with typical “American” food. I am a pretty darn good cook–but Korean food is a whole different style to me. I found a Korean Grocery store, and now have a source for my soybean paste and red chilli paste. I use sesame oil in everything now, and tried your salad dressing with the soy sauce and sesame oil tonight–it is so good! The little bit of sugar makes all of the difference.
I have been stuggling with all of the chopping, but your technique is so good—and I am trying to imitate how you do it. I am making the tofu stew tomorrow night. I went to the k-market and got the anchovies (I never would have thought to buy those) and all of the other items for it. I have a great rice cooker, and just ordered a clay pot online today.
I just want to say thank you for uploading your videos–and I anxiously am waiting for more! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this–you are helping me so much!
Take care,
Lisa
Hi Lisa, if you ever want to discuss kdramas there’s a terrific chat board runboard.com where we watch a drama every month and discuss them. At runboard, choose CJK Dramas, then Korean dramas, and then the group “Always Current….”
Hi,andreas, and ginger,
yeah, it’s easy to follow the instruction right? chop chop chop!
Looks good!! I can’t wait to try it! =) Thanks Maangchi!
A new Maangchi clip, and it’s one of my favorite dishes! I will try this one. Gotta get this black bean paste! Spent too many years eating instant jjajang!