Sweet and Spicy Jjolmyeon (Spicy Chewy Noodles) for Summer
A Korean snack-bar noodle dish of chewy noodles tossed with crisp vegetables and a sweet and spicy sauce.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This is snack-bar-style jjolmyeon served with crisp vegetables in a sweet and tangy gochujang sauce flavored with lemon-lime soda and vinegar. The noodles are boiled briefly in bubbling water, vigorously washed in cold water until the starch is gone, and finished in ice water for a chewy, springy texture. It is a great spicy, simple meal when you have lost your appetite.
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Chewy noodles (jjolmyeon)300 g
- Cucumber1/2
- Carrot1/4
- Soybean sprouts1 handful
- Cabbage1 leaves
- Iceberg lettuce2 leaves
- Egg1
Jjolmyeon Sauce
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)3 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)2 tbsp
- Vinegar2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Lemon-lime soda (chilsung cider)1.5 tbsp
- Fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Toasted sesame seeds
- As soon as you buy them, divide them into 1-serving portions in plastic bags or ziplock bags and store them in the freezer; then, if you soak them in water to thaw, they will separate easily strand by strand.
Steps
1. Before prepping the vegetables, make the jjolmyeon sauce first so the flavors can meld together.
Mix all the measured ingredients together. Adjust the amount of jjolmyeon sauce to your taste.
2. Julienne the vegetables to the same thickness and length.
Add the soybean sprouts to rolling boiling water, and once it starts boiling, blanch for another 2-3 minutes, then rinse in cold water.
When I make kongnamul muchim, I also rinse them in cold water like this, and you can really taste the crunchiness of the soybean sprouts.
3. You may have experienced jjolmyeon not separating easily even when rubbed by hand, having to tear them apart strand by strand.
Let me share an easy way to get the jjolmyeon to separate well.
As soon as you buy them, divide them into single servings, put them in plastic bags or ziplock bags, and keep them in the freezer.
Whenever you want to eat jjolmyeon, take out the frozen noodles and soak them in water; as they thaw, every single strand will separate easily.
I have been doing this ever since I learned it a long time ago. If you try this method, it will be very convenient.
Drain the thawed jjolmyeon noodles to remove water, then add them to boiling water to blanch briefly. Unlike other noodles,
jjolmyeon cooks quickly, so it should be done in about 2 minutes once it starts boiling.
4. Quickly plunge the jjolmyeon into cold water and rub with your hands to wash until the stickiness is gone and the water runs clear.
If you rinse them in ice water at the end, you will be able to enjoy an even chewier texture. Drain in a strainer.
Here is the finished jjolmyeon.
Ppunwife's tips
- It is best to make the jjolmyeon sauce before prepping the vegetables so the flavors have time to meld.
- If you blanch the soybean sprouts and rinse them in cold water, you can enjoy their crisp texture.
- When rinsing the jjolmyeon, giving them a final rinse in ice water makes them much chewier.
- You can also leave some soybean sprouts in the blanching liquid and serve it chilled on the side.
FAQ
What should I do when the noodle strands are clumped together and hard to separate?
Divide into 1-serving portions right after buying, seal and store in the freezer, then soak in cold water before cooking to thaw; they will separate easily strand by strand.
How long should the noodles be boiled?
Add the noodles to boiling water and blanch them briefly for about 2 minutes from the moment the water returns to a boil.
How do I blanch soybean sprouts so they stay crunchy?
Add them to rolling boiling water, blanch for 2 to 3 minutes once the water starts boiling, and rinse them immediately in cold water.
