Gourmet Jjajangmyeon (Uni Jjajang) Made Easily at Home
Gourmet Jjajangmyeon (Uni Jjajang) Made Easily at Home
Super Simple Jjajangmyeon with Pre-Fried Black Bean Paste: The Secret to Restaurant-Quality Flavor at Home
In the past, I used to fry black bean paste myself to make jjajangmyeon sauce at home, aiming for that authentic restaurant taste. While frying the paste wasn’t particularly difficult, I always felt something was missing, a slight lack of that deep, complex flavor you get from commercial jjajang. Recently, I discovered pre-fried black bean paste at the supermarket, and it was a game-changer! I decided to make Uni Jjajang again using this product. To my delight, it tasted remarkably close to the jjajang I used to buy out. The best part is, there’s no need to fry the paste yourself; you just stir-fry the ingredients, add the pre-fried paste, and simmer. It’s incredibly convenient and delicious, so I’m excited to share it with you. Now, you can enjoy jjajangmyeon at home that rivals your favorite restaurants. I hope this recipe becomes a favorite for your family and you’ll make it often!
Main Ingredients- 1 cup (approx. 150g) ground pork
- 2 medium onions
- 1/2 stalk of green onion
- 1 Tbsp minced ginger (approx. 10g)
- 2 servings of Jjajang noodles (Chunhwamyeon)
- 6 Tbsp cooking oil
- 2 cups (400ml) water
Seasoning- 4 Tbsp pre-fried black bean paste (Chunjang) (approx. 60g)
- 1.5 Tbsp sugar (approx. 20g)
- Cornstarch slurry (1 Tbsp cornstarch + 2 Tbsp water)
- 4 Tbsp pre-fried black bean paste (Chunjang) (approx. 60g)
- 1.5 Tbsp sugar (approx. 20g)
- Cornstarch slurry (1 Tbsp cornstarch + 2 Tbsp water)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the aromatics to add a fragrant depth to your sauce. Peel the ginger and mince it very finely until you have about 1 tablespoon. Wash the green onion and finely chop both the white and green parts. Having your ingredients prepped like this will make the cooking process much smoother.
Step 2
Now, let’s prepare the onions, which will bring a wonderful sweetness to the jjajang sauce. Peel the medium-sized onions and dice them into small, roughly 0.7cm to 1cm cubes. While you can slice them, dicing gives a more satisfying texture.
Step 3
Take a deep pan or a wok and add the 6 tablespoons of cooking oil. Once the pan is heated over medium-low heat, add the chopped green onions and minced ginger. Sauté them gently to release their fragrance, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until you can smell the fragrant oil and ginger.
Step 4
Once the aroma from the green onions and ginger has developed, add the 1 cup of ground pork. Turn the heat up to high and stir-fry the pork, breaking it apart with a spatula to ensure it cooks evenly. This step is crucial for eliminating any porky odors and cooking it thoroughly.
Step 5
As soon as the pork changes color to a lighter shade and is mostly cooked through, add the diced onions. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir-fry until the onions become translucent and tender. Cooking the onions thoroughly will bring out their natural sweetness.
Step 6
Once the onions start to turn translucent, pour in 2 cups (400ml) of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer, allowing the ingredients to meld together.
Step 7
Now it’s time to add the star of the sauce: 4 tablespoons of pre-fried black bean paste. Stir continuously with a whisk or spatula to dissolve the paste completely and prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Ensure the paste is fully incorporated into the liquid.
Step 8
With the black bean paste well dissolved, add 1.5 tablespoons of sugar to balance the flavors. This is where you adjust the sweetness to complement the salty notes of the paste. Feel free to adjust the sugar quantity to your preference. Stir well to combine all the seasonings.
Step 9
Finally, let’s thicken the jjajang sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth, creating a cornstarch slurry. Gradually pour this slurry into the simmering jjajang sauce while stirring constantly. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce reaches your desired thick, glossy consistency. Your delicious jjajang sauce is now complete!
Step 10
This next step is optional. I personally enjoy adding some cooked peas to my jjajang, so I stirred some in at the end. Feel free to add your favorite additions too!
Step 11
Now it’s time to cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the 2 servings of Jjajang noodles and cook according to the package instructions, usually about 5 minutes. Gently stir the noodles occasionally to prevent them from sticking together.
Step 12
Once the noodles are perfectly cooked, immediately drain them and rinse them under cold running water, gently rubbing them to remove excess starch. This helps achieve a wonderfully chewy texture. After rinsing, drain them thoroughly in a colander.
Step 13
To serve, place the drained noodles in a bowl and generously ladle the freshly made, glossy jjajang sauce over the top. You’ve just made incredibly delicious jjajangmyeon right in your own kitchen! Isn’t it amazing how easy it is? This weekend, why not treat your family to a restaurant-like meal with this simple jjajang recipe made with pre-fried black bean paste?
