NOODLES WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE – JAJANGMYON

Serve 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Though its origins are from China, this rich noodles with black bean sauce (jajangmyon) is so ubiquitous in Korea that the country can now claim the dish as its own. The salty-sweet black bean sauce that give Jajangmyon its name has made it a perrenial of Korean kids.

INGREDIENTS:
4 tbsp Korean jajang or Chinese black bean paste
2 tbsp oil
300 g lean pork/beef, diced
2 onions, peeled and diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
4 tbsp water
4 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sugar
250 dried Korean jolmyeon or Chinese wheat noodles (ganmien)
2 eggs, boiled and halved
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks

HOW TO MAKE:
1. Preheat a wok, add the bean paste and oil and stir-fry over high heat for 2-3 minutes until the paste begins to solidify. Reduce the heat to medium, add the pork/beef, onions, potato and stir-fry until the pork/beef is browned and the vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes.
2. Combine the water, cornstarch and sugar in a bowl and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the wok, mixing well with the pork mixture. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until the sauce has thickened, then remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Bring half a pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and blanch for about 5 minutes until soft. Remove from the heat, drain the noodles and rinse in cold water. Divide the noodles equally between 4 serving bowls and top each bowl with some black bean pork/beef, cucumber and an egg halve. Serve immediately.