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New Year, Old Recipe by Jenny Chang
At the start of every new year, I get the urge to hunker down in the kitchen and get cooking. This time, I was inspired to cook an old Korean favorite, JaJang Myun (noodles with black bean sauce). As a child, this was a signature dish my father would make and we kids would all slurp our noodles with enjoyment.
I know it’s generally not polite to make such noises while you dine. However for most Asians, it’s perfectly acceptable to slurp your noodles. In fact, it’s encouraged. Slurping your noodles is a sign that you enjoy your meal. So as I sit in my kitchen, sitting around the island, slurping my JaJang Myun, I smile as I watch my 3 kids slurp their noodles and see the ring of black bean sauce cover the corners of their mouths. It’s heaven seeing them enjoy the same dish I relished so often as a child.
So I leave you with this thought… what dish will you make that allows the people in your life the joy of making sounds as they eat the dish you so lovingly prepared for them? Take these little sounds as a sign that they thoroughly enjoy your meal!
- ½-3/4 lb. boneless pork chop or pork belly, diced
- 1 large zucchini, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 potatoes, peeled and diced
- ½ cup black bean paste (available at most Asian grocery stores)
- 3 T. safflower, vegetable or canola oil
- 1 ½ T. corn starch, mixed with ¼ cup cold water
- julienne cucumber slices for garnish
- Korean style thick wheat noodles* (1lb), cook according to package directions
- Add 2 tablespoons oil to a large sauté pan and sauté pork until golden and crispy.
- Add potatoes, onions and zucchini. Cook for another 3 minutes, until onions are almost translucent. Make a well in the center of the pan and add the remaining oil. Add the black bean paste to the center of the pan where the well was made and cook the paste for a few minutes.
- After a few minutes, mix the paste in with the rest of the vegetables to ensure a nice coat. Add 2-3 cups of water, just enough to cover all of the vegetables and pork. Bring to a slow boil and reduce to a simmer.
- Add corn starch mixture and slowly stir, allowing the sauce to thicken. Simmer on low for another 5 minutes.
- Portion noodles into individual pasta dishes and cover with sauce. Garnish with cucumber slices. Enjoy!
- *Linguine pasta can be used in place of Korean noodles, however it does taste best with Korean noodles. Alternately, you can serve on top of rice.