Sweet and Tangy Jjolmyeon (Spicy Chewy Noodles)
A dish of chewy noodles served with crunchy fresh vegetables and a sweet, tangy, and spicy special sauce aged overnight.
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 jjolmyeon dish features a deeply flavorful sauce made with lemon-lime soda and vinegar, aged in the refrigerator for about a day. Piled high with crunchy vegetables like soybean sprouts, cucumber, and cabbage, it is a delightfully spicy and satisfying one-bowl meal.
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Chewy noodles (jjolmyeon)2 servings
- Soybean sprouts100 g
- Cucumber1/2
- Cabbage3 leaves
- Carrot1/4
Seasoning
- Fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)3 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)2 tbsp
- Vinegar2 tbsp
- Lemon-lime soda (chilsung cider)2 tbsp
- Sugar1/2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Toasted sesame oil1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- Feel free to use perilla leaves, lettuce, red cabbage, onion, or whatever you prefer and have in the fridge.
Steps
For the jjolmyeon ingredients, I prepared cabbage, soybean sprouts, cucumber, carrot, and boiled eggs.
You can prepare perilla leaves, lettuce, red cabbage, onion, or whatever you like according to what is in your fridge.
Combine all seasoning ingredients except toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.
Let it mature in the refrigerator for about a day.
If you taste it right after making it, the seasonings have not blended yet so it will taste about 2% lacking, but once aged, the flavors come together to create a surprisingly deep taste.
Julienne the cucumber, carrot, and cabbage.
Add the soybean sprouts to boiling water, blanch them, then rinse in cold water and drain well.
Here is a tip for easily separating jjolmyeon noodle strands.
Freeze the noodles in the freezer, then soak them in water, and they will separate easily within a few minutes.
Add to boiling water and boil the jjolmyeon according to the cooking time on the package.
Rinse under running water while rubbing vigorously until the starch is completely washed away, then drain well.
Arrange the noodles and vegetables evenly in a bowl, then top with the sauce, toasted sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and boiled egg to finish.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you taste the sauce right after making it, the seasonings have not blended yet so it will taste about 2% lacking, but once aged, the flavors come together to create a surprisingly deep taste.
- Tip for easily separating noodles: Freeze the noodles in the freezer first, then soak them in water, and they will separate easily within a few minutes.
FAQ
Should I make the sauce in advance?
If you mix the seasonings except toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds and let them age in the refrigerator for about a day, the ingredients meld together for a much deeper flavor.
Is there a tip to easily separate the clumped noodles?
If you freeze the noodles briefly in the freezer and then soak them in water, the strands will loosen easily in just a few minutes.
What other vegetables can I add besides the basic ones?
Beyond cabbage and cucumber, feel free to add perilla leaves, lettuce, red cabbage, or onion according to your taste and what you have in the fridge.
How should I rinse the noodles after boiling?
Boil them according to the package directions, then rub them vigorously under running cold water to completely wash away excess starch for the chewiest texture.
