Jjajangmyeon — Black Bean Sauce Noodles with Pork Shoulder

Ingredients

• 12 oz Pork Shoulder, diced small
• 5 tbsp chunjang (Korean black bean paste)
• 5 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 1 cup Zucchini, diced
• 1 cup diced cabbage
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1½ cups chicken stock
• 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp water
• 1 lb fresh wheat noodles
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• ½ cucumber, julienned

Method

1. Fry the chunjang in 4 tbsp of the oil over medium-low for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, until it loosens and smells roasty instead of raw. Scrape it into a bowl.
2. In the same pan with the remaining oil, brown the Pork Shoulder hard, then add the onions and cook until translucent and sweet, 6 minutes. Add the Zucchini and cabbage and cook 3 minutes.
3. Stir the fried paste back in with the sugar and cook 2 minutes so it coats everything, then pour in the stock and simmer 8 minutes.
4. Add the slurry and stir until the sauce turns thick and glossy and mounds slightly on a spoon.
5. Boil the noodles until just chewy, drain, toss with sesame oil, and ladle the sauce over the top. Crown with cucumber and mix it all up violently before eating.