Jjolmyeon (Chewy Spicy Noodles)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large pot for boiling noodles
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Colander
• •Tongs or disposable food-safe gloves
• •Sharp knife or mandoline for thin vegetables

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the sauce

   Stir together the gochujang, rice vinegar, apple vinegar, sugar, maesil-cheong, soy sauce, sesame oil, gochugaru, grated garlic, mustard if using, and cold water. Taste it on a spoon. It should be sharper than you want the finished bowl, because the cold noodles and vegetables will soften the edges. Do not add more sugar before the noodles are in front of you.

   Make the sauce first so the gochugaru has time to bloom and the garlic loses its raw bite. Ten minutes changes it.
2. 2

   Cook the sprouts

   Put the soybean sprouts in a pot with 1/2 cup water and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover, bring to a boil, and cook 4 minutes without lifting the lid. Drain and spread them out to cool. The lid stays closed because half-cooked sprouts hit with cold air can turn harsh and beany.

3. 3

   Cut the vegetables

   Slice the cabbage very thin, julienne the cucumber and carrot, and keep them cold. The cut matters here. Thick vegetables fight the noodles, but thin ones bend into the toss and give crunch in every bite.

4. 4

   Boil the noodles

   Separate the jjolmyeon noodles with your fingers before they go into the pot. Boil in plenty of water for 3 to 5 minutes, following the package but checking early. They should be cooked through and very springy, never soft. Stir often, because these noodles like to grab each other.

5. 5

   Rinse until cold

   Drain the noodles and rinse under cold running water, rubbing them hard between your hands until they feel cold, firm, and no longer slippery with starch. This is not washing away flavor. This is what gives jjolmyeon its clean chew.

6. 6

   Toss the bowl

   Drain the noodles very well and put them in a large bowl with the cabbage, cucumber, carrot, and cooled sprouts. Add 6 tablespoons of sauce first, then toss by hand or with tongs until every strand is stained red and glossy. Add the remaining sauce only if the bowl needs it. A good jjolmyeon clings; it does not sit in a puddle.

7. 7

   Finish and serve

   Divide into two bowls. Top each with a halved egg, crushed sesame seeds, and gim strips if using. Serve at once, with extra vinegar at the table for anyone who wants a sharper bowl. Once dressed, jjolmyeon does not keep its dignity for long.

Chef Tips

• •Buy noodles labeled jjolmyeon if you can. They are thicker and more elastic than somyeon or naengmyeon, and substituting another noodle changes the dish. If you cannot find them, use chewy wheat noodles and rinse them hard, but write that down as an adaptation.
• •Cabbage, cucumber, carrot, and soybean sprouts are the usual crunch. In summer, cucumber tastes best. In winter, use more cabbage and sprouts, because cook the month you're standing in.
• •For a less sweet bowl, reduce the sugar to 2 teaspoons but keep the vinegar. Jjolmyeon needs tartness to cut through the gochujang and keep the noodles lively.
• •A safe shortcut is using pre-shredded cabbage or bagged coleslaw mix if it is fresh and dry. Do not shorten the noodle rinsing or the sauce measuring. Those are the bones of the dish.

Advance Preparation

• •The sauce can be mixed up to 5 days ahead and kept refrigerated. Stir before using, and loosen with 1 to 2 teaspoons cold water if it thickens.
• •The eggs can be boiled 2 days ahead. The vegetables can be cut 6 hours ahead and kept cold, wrapped in a barely damp towel.
• •Boil and rinse the noodles only right before serving. Once cooked, they stiffen and clump if held too long.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 630g)