Where can I buy Korean black bean paste?

It's available at many Asian grocery stores - or you can pick up chunjang online.

Why are my sliced cucumber garnishes so watery?

Garden cucumbers are loaded with a strip of massive, watery seeds running through the center. If you use garden cucumbers, be sure to scoop out those seeds prior to slicing them. A better alternative is to use English cucumbers that have a crisp crunch and smaller seeds.

Why are my noodles mushy?

If the udon noodles are mushy, they're probably overcooked. Like with all pasta, udon will continue to cook after it has been drained. So after draining it, I like to either run it under cold tap water - or plunge it into an ice bath (water and ice) to stop the cooking process.

Jajangmyeon (Korean Black Bean Sauce Noodles)

Name: Jajangmyeon (Korean Noodles With Black Bean Sauce)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 8 ounces dry udon noodles (or 12 ounces fresh udon or Chinese noodles); 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 8 ounces button mushrooms, quartered; 1 zucchini, chopped bite size; 2 celery stalks, chopped bite size; 7 ounces cabbage, chopped bite size; 1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and sliced into matchsticks; 6 tablespoons Korean black bean paste; 2 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 cup water; 2 tablespoons potato starch mixed with 1/4 cup water; salt and pepper, to taste

Description

Traditional Korean noodles made with black bean paste and veggies. My Jajangmyeon recipe is ready in just 30 mins!

Ingredients

Units Scale

8 ounces dry udon noodles (or 12 ounces fresh udon or Chinese noodles)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
8 ounces button mushrooms, quartered
1 zucchini, chopped bite size
2 celery stalks, chopped bite size
7 ounces cabbage, chopped bite size
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and sliced into matchsticks

For the sauce

6 tablespoons Korean black bean paste
2 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons potato starch mixed with 1/4 cup water
salt and pepper, to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Cook the onions. In a large deep pan over medium high heat, add oil and onions. Cook for a couple of minutes until onions are translucent.
Add mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the water coming from the mushrooms has evaporated.
Add zucchini, celery and cabbage. Stir well. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until vegetables are half cooked.
Season. Add Korean black bean paste, rice vinegar and sugar and stir until sugar has dissolved. Lower the heat to medium and add water. Stir well, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the starch slurry. Whisk the potato starch mixture into the sauce and stir until it thickens. Turn the heat off and set aside.
Boil the noodles. Bring a pot of water to boil, and cook the noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water and drain well. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Mix and serve. Top with sauce and sliced cucumber. Serve hot or at room temp.

Notes

I often prep this meal by making the black bean sauce ahead of time so all I have to do is boil the noodles for a quick dinner. The black bean sauce will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days. Once mixed, leftover jajangmyeon should be eaten within 2 days.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 263
Sugar: 9.4g
Sodium: 1248mg
Fat: 4.4g
Saturated Fat: 2.1g
Unsaturated Fat: 0.5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 14.5g
Fiber: 2.5g
Protein: 3.2g
Cholesterol: 1.8mg