Jjajangmyun (Korean-Chinese Black Bean Noodles)

Jjajangmyun is a Korean-style Chinese takeaway meal of meat and vegetables cooked in a delicious thick black bean sauce on noodles. I'd been looking forwards to trying it for ages, so I adapted it to be vegan by using some baked tofu. It turned out pretty good!

If you have leftover sauce the next day, but ate all the noodles, you can make jjajangbap by eating the sauce on rice. I topped my version with cucumber, but it's also nice to eat with yellow pickled radish.

Jjajangmyun

Serves 4

Ingredients

450g tofu
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp Korean soy sauce or tamari
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pack udon or sutamyun
2 onions
2 potatoes
1 zucchini
2 carrots
vegetable oil
250 ml chunjang (Korean black bean paste)
500 ml water
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cucumber

Method

1. Dice the tofu, toss with the sesame oil, soy sauce and pepper, and put in the oven at 200 C for 30 minutes, turning once.

2. Cook noodles. Dice the onions and zucchini. Peel and dice the carrots and potatoes. Heat oil over medium heat in a pan and add all the vegetables except the cucumber. Fry for a few minutes.

6. Add some more oil and the chunjang. Fry for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the water, bring to a boil, and simmer until the vegetables are done. Add the tofu.

8. Mix the cornstarch with a few tablespoons of cold water. Add it and cook for a few minutes, until thick. Add sugar and turn off heat. Julienne the cucumber.

9. Place the noodles in bowls. Top with sauce and garnish with cucumber. Mix up and eat!