Chef Jeong Ho-young’s Mazesoba
Chef Jeong Ho-young’s Mazesoba
Rich and Flavorful Ground Pork Mazesoba Recipe to Enjoy at Home
Mazesoba, a Japanese-style dry noodle dish, is incredibly popular! Did you know it’s surprisingly easy to make at home? It features a perfect harmony of chewy noodles and savory ground pork! Following Chef Jeong Ho-young’s recipe, you can savor delicious Mazesoba right in your own kitchen. You can substitute chili bean paste (doubanjiang) with gochujang if needed, allowing you to adjust the spiciness to your preference. Tapping the yolk and mixing it all together creates an even richer, creamier texture. The chewy udon noodles, fresh scallions, and flavorful pork create a delightful combination that will satisfy your palate. If you have leftover pork mixture, try mixing it with rice for another delicious meal! Mazesoba is an easy yet guaranteed-to-be-delicious noodle dish, perfect for entertaining friends. Let’s get started making Mazesoba!
Main Ingredients- 300g ground pork
- 7-8 stalks scallions
- 1 large green onion
- 1 handful chives
- 2 servings of thick noodles (or udon noodles)
- Seaweed flakes to taste (crunchy tempura bits are also great)
- Bonito flakes to taste
- 2 egg yolks
- A pinch of sesame seeds
Seasoning & Sauce- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp sake
- 2 Tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp chili bean paste (doubanjiang) (can substitute with gochujang if unavailable)
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp chili oil
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp sake
- 2 Tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp chili bean paste (doubanjiang) (can substitute with gochujang if unavailable)
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp chili oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, gently pat the ground pork (300g) with paper towels to remove any excess blood. (This recipe is for 2-3 servings. If making for 1 serving, halve all ingredients.)
Step 2
Wash the chives thoroughly, drain them well, and then finely chop them. You’ll need about one handful.
Step 3
Instead of scallions, we’re using the white and light green parts of a large green onion. Since raw green onion can be quite pungent, mince it finely, even more so than you would with scallions.
Step 4
Crumble the bonito flakes into manageable pieces with your hands. Thinly slice the seasoned seaweed. Feel free to adjust the amounts of these ingredients to your liking or omit them if preferred.
Step 5
For two servings, we’re preparing 2 egg yolks. If you prefer your Mazesoba extra rich and moist, you can use two yolks per serving, totaling four.
Step 6
Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium heat. Add the ground pork and use chopsticks to break it apart as it cooks, ensuring it doesn’t clump together.
Step 7
For an enhanced aroma and flavor, you can first add the sugar to the pan and stir-fry it until it caramelizes slightly before adding the pork. Once the pork is browned, push it to one side of the pan. Pour the soy sauce into the empty space and let it sizzle for a moment to release its fragrance. Then, add all the remaining seasoning ingredients and mix everything together with the pork, continuing to cook.
Step 8
Continue cooking until all the seasonings are well combined with the pork. Your flavorful Mazesoba topping is now ready!
Step 9
Chef Jeong Ho-young’s original recipe uses Chinese wheat noodles, but I’ve substituted them with readily available udon noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the udon noodles. As soon as they begin to loosen, drain them immediately. (For frozen noodles, follow the package instructions but avoid overcooking.)
Step 10
Rinse the cooked noodles under cold running water, gently rubbing them to remove excess starch. Drain them thoroughly in a colander.
Step 11
Place the drained udon noodles into a serving bowl. Generously spoon the prepared ground pork mixture over the noodles.
Step 12
Arrange the prepared toppings – chopped chives, green onions, seaweed flakes, and bonito flakes – attractively on top. For an extra crunch, adding tempura bits is highly recommended! (I didn’t have any on hand, so I omitted them.)
Step 13
Finally, drizzle 1/2 Tbsp of sesame oil and 1/2 Tbsp of chili oil over the Mazesoba. The chili oil adds a wonderful aroma and a touch of heat. (If you have homemade chili oil, it will make it even more special! Refer to recipe @7033376 for guidance.)
