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Black Bean Noodles

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This recipe comes from a Hawaiian cookbook called “The Island Plate”, affectionately placed under the title “K-Drama Special”. In the early 2000s, k-dramas became extremely popular in Hawaii, leading to a daily newspaper running regular columns about them. The recipe is credited to Carol Devenot who was requested by a reader of the column to make black bean noodles. If you have ever watched a k-drama (or even if you haven’t), you may be familiar with the exaggerated deliciousness of the mouth-watering black bean noodles popping off the screen. Watching the steaming noodles, the thick sauce dripping, and the characters excitedly digging in – who wouldn’t want to give it a taste? With most of the ingredients likely to be in your pantry already, this recipe makes it easy to whip up the rich, savoury ja jang myun that is still popular today! Not to mention that it’s very high in both protein and fibre, keeping you feeling full and satisfied for longer during the day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 9 oz fettuccine-style brown rice pasta
  • ¼ lb very lean ground pork
  • 1 – 1 ½ tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 – ½ tbsp minced ginger
  • 2 heaping tbsp black bean paste
  • 1 ½ – 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • ½ cup cabbage, finely chopped
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ¼ grated cucumber for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook brown rice pasta according to package instructions. When done, set aside.
  2. While pasta is cooking, add ground pork in a large saucepan and cook on medium high heat for about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
  3. Add cabbage and onion into the pan with a small amount of oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until mostly cooked through.
  4. Mix the black bean paste with the peanut butter in a small bowl. Add into the pan and mix thoroughly, then add the chicken broth.
  5. Cook until the sauce thickens and vegetables are cooked through.
  6. Place pasta in bowls and pour the sauce over. Garnish with cucumber (optional).

Notes

This recipe is an adapted version of “Enlightened Ja Jang Myun” from “The Island Plate” by Wanda A. Adams.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://nutritionwell.ca/blog/black-bean-noodles/