Chapagetti (black bean noodles)

Instant noodles with black fermented bean sauce (jjajang), very popular in Korea since the 1980s. They are prepared without broth, the sauce coating the noodles with a creamy, sweet-savoury texture.

10 min
1 serving
Medium
Budget-friendly
🇰🇷 South Korea

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Instructions

Slice the onion finely and dice any leftover vegetable into small cubes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 3 minutes until translucent.
Add the sachet of jjajang sauce and the sugar, then fry for 1 minute, stirring, to lightly caramelise the sauce.
Add the water and let it simmer for 30 seconds to obtain a smooth sauce.
Cook the noodles separately in a pan of boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, then drain them, keeping a spoonful of cooking water.
Tip the noodles into the pan with the sauce, toss vigorously to coat them well and continue for 1 minute over high heat.
Serve straight away, optionally topped with a fried or poached egg.

Variations and tips

Spicy version. Add a spoonful of Korean chilli paste (gochujang) to the sauce while the onion cooks.

With what is available here. Replace the jjajang sauce with 2 tbsp of dark soy sauce mixed with 1 tbsp of fermented black bean paste, or a sweetened dark soy sauce.