jjajangmyeon 짜장면, korean, vegan

…this is a strange one haha! Jjajangmyeon is like what Korean people order from the local Chinese takeaway, so it’s somewhat Chinese, but also Korean-ised just like how in Britain we have ‘Indian’ curries that you only find here. But this one is also veganised and made by a Scottish person haha, so at this stage, it’s like nothing you’d find in China!

Essentially it’s black bean sauce with udon noodles, but my recipe is supercharged with lots of fun wee extras and therefore perfect for having people round!

ingredients (per 4 servings!)

350g tofu (use firm, I didn’t haha #ragrets)
200g chestnut mushrooms
90g udon noodles
1 brown onion
4 cloves garlic
1 courgette
1/4 cucumber
1 handful enoki muchrooms
1 handful spring onion
1 handful toasted sesame seeds
2tbsp black bean paste
1tbsp dark soy sauce
1tbsp shaoxing rice wine
1/2 tbsp rice syrup or agave
2tsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp white pepper

method

1. chop the tofu into cubes and fry in a pan with 2 tbsp neutral oil. Turn until fried on all sides, the remove from the pan and set aside.

2. put the enoki into the pan with the oil still in it, fry for 4 minutes then set aside.

3. finely chop the onions and garlic before adding them to the pan with the oil in it.

4. cube the mushrooms and add them to the fired onion and garlic. Then make a well in the pan and add the bean paste. Let the paste cook through for a minute, then mix it all together.

5. add the soy sauce, vinegar, syrup, wine and pepper and cook until the mixture is thick and gloopy.

6. boil the udon noodles for 10 minutes, drain and rinse under cold water. Then toss them through with some spiralised courgette (courgetti/zoodles).

7. build your bowl!! add the noodles/courgetti to a bowl with the sauce and mushroom mixture, then add some strips of cucumber, spring onions, enoki, sesame seeds and 1/2 tsp of sesame oil drizzed on top! Enjoy by mixing it all together, after you’ve taken a photo obvs hahha