Black Bean Noodles (짜장면)

Ingredients

• 3-4 servings of udon (wudong) noodles
• 300g / 10oz ground beef or crumbled tofu
• 1 cup beef or vegetable stock
• 5 tbsp black bean paste
• 1/4 head of cabbage
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 onion
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine (mirin)
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• sesame oil

Method

1. Mix ground beef or crumbled tofu with mirin, ginger, salt and pepper to marinade, and put a pot of water to boil.
2. Finely chop onion, roughly chop cabbage, and quarter and slice zucchini.
3. Sauté beef (or tofu) until browned, adding soy sauce halfway through.
4. Add finely chopped onion and cook until soft.
5. Push onion and beef to one side and add black bean paste and sugar. Heat while stirring for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add vegetables and stock, and simmer until vegetables are soft.
7. Cook noodles according to package directions; usually this is add to water when boiling, cook for 3-4 minutes, drain and run through cold water.
8. Thicken the sauce and add the noodles, stir together and then serve.