Ease of Preparation: Medium
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1.3 pounds (600 g) roughly chopped pork shoulder
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) mirin
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) ginger powder
- Salt and pepper
- 6 tablespoons (90 ml) melted lard
- 6 tablespoons (90 ml) chunjang (Korean black bean paste)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) brown sugar
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 1 small green zucchini, small diced
- 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and small diced
- 8 oz. (240 g) button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- ¼ head Nappa cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
- 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) water, divided
- ¼ cup (60 ml) mirin
- ¼ cup (60 ml) cornstarch
- 35 oz. (1 kg) fresh jjajangmyeon noodles (you can substitute fresh ramen or udon noodles)
- 1 cucumber, julienned
- Fried eggs, to serve
- Korean yellow pickled radish, to serve
Method:
- Place the pork in a large mixing bowl. Add the mirin and ginger powder. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes, up to 3 hours.
- In a wok over medium-high heat, warm the lard. Add the chunjang and heat, stirring constantly until aromatic and sizzly, 3-5 minutes. Lower the heat if the chunjang threatens to burn.
- Add the brown sugar and continue to cook while stirring for 2-3 minutes more.
- By this point the black bean sauce should have separated from the oil. Scoop the sauce out into a bowl, leaving as much oil as possible in the wok.
- Carefully add the pork to the wok and stir fry until the pork is mostly cooked through, 4-5 minutes.
- Add the onion, zucchini, and potatoes, and stir fry until the vegetables have begun to soften, 3-5 minutes more.
- Add the mushrooms and cabbage, continuing to stir fry for 2-3 minutes more.
- Return the black bean sauce to the wok. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes more.
- Add the chicken stock, 1 cup (240 ml) of the water, and the mirin. Stir to combine, lower the heat to medium and allow the wok to simmer, covered, for 5-7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a separate pot of water to a boil over high heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining water with the cornstarch to make a slurry.
- Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook to package directions, usually 3-5 minutes.
- Uncover the wok and stir in the slurry. Strain the noodles out of the water and into the sauce, tossing and stirring to coat (note: usually the noodles are shocked under cold water, drained, and the sauce is poured overtop. I just didn’t want to do it that way.)
- Transfer the noodles to serving dishes, top with a fried egg and cucumber and serve immediately, alongside pickled radish