How to Cook Black Bean Noodles

Serves: 2-3

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients needed to make Black Bean Noodles:

• ½ lb pork belly, diced
• One package Jjajangmyeon noodles
• 1 cup daikon, diced
• 1 cup potato, peeled and diced
• 1 cup zucchini, diced
• 1 ½ cups onion cubes
• ½ cup cucumber, julienned
• 2 tbsp potato starch powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ cup water, plus more for cooking
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp black bean paste

Cooking instructions for Black Bean Noodles:

• Drop the thick and chewy noodles into a pot of boiling water and cook according to package instructions until properly cooked.
• Drain it through a colander and rinse it under running cold water.
• Drain again and pile the, up on serving bowls; set aside and keep warm.
• Heat a tbsp of vegetable oil in a deep-based wok and throw in the pork belly cubes.
• Sauté for about 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until they crisp and golden brown.
• Skim off any excess fat and stir in the radish.
• Continue to stir fry the mixture for a minute and dump the diced zucchini, onion and potato into it.
• Continue to stir the mixture while cooking it for about 3 minutes or until the potatoes a tad lucid.
• Push the mixture along the edges, thus making a well at the centre of the wok and drizzle a couple of tbsp oil into it, followed by ¼ cup of the black bean paste.
• Stir them all together and fry the mixture for a minute or two, while stirring it frequently.
• Empty 2 cups of water into the pan, give it a good stir to mix well and place a lid on top.
• Cook the sauce for about 10 minutes or until the veggies are cooked through.
• Meanwhile, stir the potato starch powder in ¼ cup of water, along with a tsp of sugar until they both dissolve and blend into a uniform mixture, free of lumps.
• Open the lid and pour in the starch water gradually, while stirring the sauce at the same time, until all of it is properly incorporated into the mixture to form a thick sauce.
• Drizzle the sesame oil on top and turn off the heat.
• Pour it over the noodles and top it up with cucumber juliennes.
• Serve warm alongside kimchi.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons