Jjolmyeon 쫄면

| By: Ashley Park |

Jjolmyeon is a classic summer noodle dish known for its irresistible and addictive combination of spicy, sweet, and sour. The strong flavors are balanced out by the mix of refreshing vegetables and super chewy noodles. Although the flavor profile may be similar to other Korean cold noodle dishes, like bibim-myun, the chewiness of the noodles distinguishes it from the others. This dish is a harmonious mix of various textures and flavors that will leave you wanting more.

Ingredients

Yield: 2 servings

Prep time: 10 min

Cooking time: 15 min

• 2 packs of chewy noodles (jjolmyun)

• ½ Apple

• ¼ Cabbage

• ¼ Purple cabbage

• ½ Bag of bean sprouts

• ½ Carrot

• 1 Cucumber

• 2 Eggs

• 3 tbsp of Korean plum extract (maesil)

• 2 tbsp of soysauce

• 1 ½ tbsp of red pepper paste (gochujang)

• 2 tbsp of sugar

• 4 tbsp of white vinegar

• 1 tbsp of sesame oil

• ½ tbsp of minced garlic

• 3 tbsp of red pepper flakes (Korean style red pepper flakes)

• Roasted sesame seeds

Pictured above: Chewy noodles (jjolmyun)

Pictured above: Veggie ingredients

Pictured above: Sauce ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. Wash and julienne the cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots (skin off), and cucumbers

2. Leave the julienned vegetables in ice-cold water to maintain crispiness and freshness

3. Grate the apple (skin off)

4. Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for 1-2 minutes (just enough to slightly cook but keep the firmness)

5. Boil the eggs for 7 min for a medium cooked egg (depending on your preference) and cut them in half

6. In a mixing bowl, mix in the grated apple, minced garlic, soy sauce, sugar, plum extract, red pepper paste, white vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes

7. Taste and adjust the sauce (very important!)

8. Boil the jjolmyun for about 5 min (it depends on the brand)

9. Rinse the jjolmyun in cold water

10. Plating: place the jjolmyun first, add the sauce moderately (you can add more later if needed), add the vegetables, add the boiled egg, drizzle on some sesame oil, sprinkle some sesame seeds on top

Notes

• All these ingredients can be found at H-mart or any Asian grocery store

• All the vegetables can be exchanged with other seasonal vegetables or your favorite ones; the point is that there are crunchy vegetables for texture

• We use white sugar just so it dissolves better, but you can probably opt for a healthier alternative

• Make sure to taste, adjust, and have fun!