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.
Last night, despite of the heat wave, I had a craving for jjajangmyeon and I felt lucky when I realized that I had enough ingredients in the fridge to do it from scratch: zucchini + sweet potatoe + onion + SMOKED SAUSAGE !! this one made the sauce so good !
I use to do it with pork belly because it’s the only cut that is suitable for the recipe according to me… Chunjang is so savory that some cuts of pork meat can appear bland in comparison.
So , pork belly for me and now I know that smoked sausages are an alternative.
I love jjajangmyeon!
Thank you for letting us know smoked sausage worked nicely! I should try it out someday.
Yum
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I cooked this a couple of days ago. My first time ever trying this as well as cooking it. It was a little adventurous to cook something I’ve never eaten before! But no regrets! It was so so so delicious!! My family loves it! It’s my new favorite too! Your steps & tips are always so easy to follow! Thank you, Maangchi!
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I have always been curious about the taste of this dish and to my surprise? I loved it hahahha…. made a success try out for me again with this one :) I saved alot of your recipes Maangchi that maybe by the time you will see all these posts from me has just minutes difference from one to another hahhaha. Just decided to post everything I’ve tried since am still awake past midnight here right now :)
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Love your recipes!! I have been following your recipes since January 2019. I share with Chinese friends and they say it is delicious too! Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing!!!
Hi Maangchi!
I have a wheat allergy and I would like to make the sauce for Jajangmyeon at home. I have preserved black beans and can grind them, but I noted on a youtube video from Korea that jjajang powder was used. I have been unable to find jjanjang flour/powder online. Wondering, is jjanjang flour the same as black bean powder – which seems lighter in color than the final Jajangmyeon sauce. And/or could you recommend a wheat free black bean paste? I’ve dug around and can’t really find one.
Thanks so much! Jessica
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-Bean-Powder-1-1-LBS-500-G/997329286
What type of noodles do I buy?
Well this came out okay, I couldn’t find black bean baste in the Asian grocery store nearby. There’s one Korean store but it’s too far so I couldn’t find the black bean paste at the store i went and I bought black bean sauce instead.
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Can I still make kalguksu noodles for jjajangmyeon if I can’t find jjajangmyeon noodles?
Sure, You can make Jjajangmyeon with kalguksu noodles.
Thank you maangchi
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Maangchi I was wondering if there is a substitute for the pork. My friend can not eat it, but wants to try jjajangmyeon so do you have any suggestions?
You can use scrambled eggs or beef, both work fine, that’s how we do it in China! The main flavour is from the black bean paste.
I forgot to upload a picture! It was very nice!! Will be making again. I found it made about 4 servings and as I couldn’t find the korean noodles here in Australia I used Udon which was also very good! I also added cabbage and a little less onion than what you said. Was very yum! Will have again.
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Fantastic!
May I ask? What kind of cabbage did you use?
Sorry for the late reply! I used a Chinese Cabbage you can just find them in the vegetables section of normal groceries
Hello
Thank you so much for this recipe! I love jjajangmyun so glad I found this recipe. For me it was somewhat bland.. what can I do differently or add to make it more 고소해? Thank you!
Add more meat and chunjang (black bean paste) if it’s bland.
I made it! Very yum!!! Really enjoyed it thank you for his recipie! I added cabbage as well and skipped the radish.
Dear Maangchi
I’m a fans of you and your recipe .
All my korean food following your recipes
Btw i need advice from you Maangchi
I can’t found Black bean paste in my country. only found black bean powder for jjangmyeon.
Need your advice please, how to use black bean powder to substitute black bean paste for jjangmyeon in your recipe? The measurements of black bean powder and should i fry it or just dissolve with water?
Thanks before
I use this recipe to make one https://www.maangchi.com/talk/topic/how-to-make-black-bean-paste my friends like it. you might as well try. or you can find at Tokopedia atleast
hi maangchi, i hope you can help me with this. can i use this type of black bean paste for jjajangmyeon, if yes, how can i use it? is it the same on the jjajangmyeon you made? please reply i will be waiting i cannot find black bean paste like you Used in this video
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I used this type of paste today and everything was delicious!
btw, I compared compounds of this paste and paste that Maangchi used and they seemed to be similar
Hi Maangchi! I made a Jiajangmyeon yesterday and today I want to show you my baby. Oh my god I have eaten 2 both jjajangmyeon and jjajangbap. I love this so much!!! thank you Maangchi <3
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Yay! I’m so happy to hear that you loved your jjajangmyeon and jjajangbap! Continue good luck with your Korean cooking!