Why Every Korean Loves These Black Noodles: The Story of Jajangmyeon

Описание: For anyone who loves Korean food, there’s one noodle dish we can’t leave out: Jajangmyeon! While many people already know this, Jajangmyeon originally came from the Chinese dish called Zhájiàngmiàn. It arrived in Korea at the end of the 19th century and has been adapted to fit our culture and taste for over 100 years. That’s why most Koreans consider it a Korean dish, yet nobody actually calls it "Korean cuisine." Isn’t that interesting? Even in China, this Korean-style Jajangmyeon is hard to find. Instead, it’s known there as Korean-style Zhájiàngmiàn and sold that way. Jajangmyeon is truly beloved in Korea, but ironically, it’s also a dish without a specific nationality.

To Koreans, Jajangmyeon is more than just noodles – it’s a dish filled with memories and sentiment. On special occasions like school entrance and graduation ceremonies or moving day, families or friends often share a meal of Jajangmyeon. Do you have any memorable moments with this dish? For me, I remember eating it with friends during my college days, both at school and at pool halls. Nowadays, my daughter loves Jajangmyeon so much that we sometimes make a three-hour drive to a Chinese restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany, just to enjoy it.

Making Jajangmyeon isn’t as difficult as you might think, so why not try making it yourself? There are many variations and ingredients you can use, but I’ve tested multiple versions to create the easiest and tastiest recipe. It’s based on the recipe of Chef Yeoh, Kyung Ok, one of Korea’s most renowned chefs specializing in Chinese cuisine. He runs a popular restaurant and even shares his expertise through his own YouTube channel (   / @okcheftv  . If you follow the steps in the video, you’ll recreate at least 90% of the restaurant flavor. The other 10%? That’s the taste you get from the high heat of restaurant kitchens – tough to replicate at home. 😊

Enjoy, and I wish you a delicious meal and endless happiness!


[Ingredients - Serves 2]

Pork shoulder or belly, 9 oz (250g), with some fat
Onion, 2 large
Garlic, 1 T (about 2-3 cloves)
Finely minced ginger, 1/2 t
Cooking oil, 6 T (90 ml)
Black bean paste (chunjang), 4 T (60 ml)
Soy sauce, 2 T
Oyster sauce, 2 T
Mirin (or cooking wine), 2 T
Sugar, 2 T
MSG, 2 t (optional)
Sesame oil, 2 t
Thickening mixture: Cornstarch or potato starch, 1 T mixed with 3 T of water


[Cooking Instructions]

1. Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan and sauté the pork until well-cooked.
2. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook together until fragrant.
3. Add the black bean paste (chunjang) and stir well, cooking it thoroughly.
4. Add soy sauce and sugar, mixing well as you continue to stir.
5. Add the onion and continue to stir-fry.
6. Add oyster sauce, mirin, and MSG (if using), stirring well.
7. After everything is well-mixed, add the thickening mixture to achieve the desired consistency.
8. Turn off the heat, drizzle sesame oil over the sauce, and mix well.

[Cooking Tips]

1. Use pork shoulder or belly with some fat for the best flavor.
2. For each serving, generally add 1 onion to the sauce.
3. The ratio of garlic to ginger should be about 5:1.
4. Be careful not to add too much ginger, as it can overpower the dish.
5. Sesame oil and MSG (optional) enhance the flavor.
6. Fresh Jajangmyeon noodles taste best, but udon noodles or dry Jajang noodles are also good options. Avoid using thin noodles or glass noodles as they don’t pair well with Jajang sauce.
7. Add a pinch of chili powder at the end for extra flavor if desired.

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