Homemade Jjajangbap (Black Bean Sauce Rice)
Homemade Jjajangbap (Black Bean Sauce Rice)
The Ultimate Comfort Food: Crafting Authentic Jjajangbap at Home
With dining out becoming less frequent, it’s the perfect time to recreate your favorite restaurant dishes at home! On a day craving some delicious Jjajangmyeon, I decided to take on the challenge of making Jjajangbap from scratch using black bean paste. The result? An incredibly savory and satisfying meal that’s truly a ‘rice thief’ – it’ll disappear in no time! Even as a first-timer, I found it tastier than store-bought versions. Get ready to impress yourself and your family with this delightful homemade classic.
Ingredients- Black bean paste (Chunjang) 120g
- Sugar 2 Tbsp
- Oyster sauce 2 Tbsp
- Cornstarch (or potato starch) 4 Tbsp
- Water 6 Cups
- Potatoes 2 medium
- Onion 1-2 medium
- Zucchini 1/2 medium
- Cabbage 1/2 medium head
- Carrot 1/2 medium
- Scallion 1/2 stalk
- Pork (ground or diced) 300g
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare all your ingredients by washing and dicing them into bite-sized pieces, approximately 1.5cm cubes. For the onions, finely mince about 1/4 of one onion and set it aside separately. Dice the pork into manageable pieces as well.
Step 2
Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a large pan or wok over medium-low heat. Add the chopped scallions and sauté them gently until fragrant, infusing the oil with their aroma. Once the scallion aroma is released, add the finely minced onion and sauté together until translucent.
Step 3
When the minced onions become translucent, add the black bean paste to the pan. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. This step is crucial for developing the rich flavor and removing any bitterness from the paste. You’ll notice the oil separating from the paste; carefully strain out the excess oil, reserving the paste. (You can leave a little oil to coat the pan, or even reuse the strained oil when stir-frying vegetables later.)
Step 4
In a clean pan, heat a small amount of cooking oil. Add the diced pork along with all the prepared vegetables except for the cabbage (potatoes, onions, zucchini, carrots). Stir-fry until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the cabbage towards the end of the stir-frying process and cook for another minute or two. Stir in 2 Tbsp of sugar while stir-frying the vegetables; this helps them caramelize slightly and absorb the sweetness.
Step 5
Once the vegetables are partially cooked, add the stir-fried black bean paste to the pan and mix well with the vegetables. Pour in 6 cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil. While the sauce is boiling, prepare a slurry by mixing 4 Tbsp of cornstarch with about 1/4 cup of water. Gradually pour the cornstarch slurry into the boiling sauce, stirring constantly until it reaches your desired thickness. Finally, stir in 2 Tbsp of oyster sauce. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional sugar or salt if needed.
Step 6
Serve the rich, savory Jjajang sauce generously over a bowl of hot steamed rice. Enjoy your delicious homemade Jjajangbap! For an extra treat, top with a fried egg (sunny-side up or over easy) to complete this delightful meal.
