Cooking Korean: Japchae (stirfried noodles)

I decided to make something new from Maangchi's site today: Japchae or stirfried noodles and vegetables.  It just looked so good . . . I like to stirfry things . . . woks  are fun.  The recipe also looks like it will heat up well so I can many meals out of it.  That is how I like to cook.  Complicated recipes that will last me for a bit . . . but not too hard, I don't like failure. As always I recommend starting with the video to get an idea of the recipe.

As often happens I changed the recipe up a bit based on ingredients I have/could get.  It is beautiful spring here in Edmonton (finally), so I walked to the nearby grocery store rather than going somewhere fancy.  I couldn't find the starch noodles, so I used regular rice noodles . . . okay brown rice noodles . . . they seemed the most fun of my options.  I also used ground beef that I had to use like now rather than slicing up some beef I would have had to purchase today.  Overall, I think the soul of the recipe is intact.

bowl of ingredients!

Its a ninja trap . . .

The result? Fantastic!  And super easy.  I would make this again.  I changed up the recipe a bit and cooked more of my veggies together at each step . . . but I don't think it hurt the quality . . . I was very hungry at the time.

Spicy Tofu and Buckwheat Noodles Recipe

I've been sitting on a package of Northern Style Tofu (my favorite kind) and I really wanted to do something with it.  I also had some fresh Korean Buckwheat noodles from making Jjajangmyun.  As I had the Korean noodles I decided to do a Korean inspired recipe.  Spicy Tofu and Buckwheat Noodles was born.

Ingredients-
1 large package Tofu (firm)
Some veggie oil
1/2 cup corn
1 small onion
3 cloves of garlic
3 tbs vinegar (I used season sushi vinegar)
3 tbs soy sauce
1/4 cup hot water
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbs red pepper paste (this will make is super spicy . . . if you don't like that add less . . . )

First, cut up your tofu and vegetables.  I also cut my tofu into awesome flowers using a very small cookie cutter (I cooked all the tofu though, none goes to waste).  Fry up the tofu in some veggie oil.  It will take a bit, but make sure its good and golden brown.  That makes it taste better.  Then add the chopped onion and garlic and the corn.  I used frozen.  Stir fry everything until the onion is transparent.  While that is cooking up make up the sauce and start the water to boil for the noodles.  For the sauce mix the vinegar, soy sauce, hot water, corn starch, and red pepper paste.  Add the sauce to the tofu and cook for about 5 minutes until its nice and thick.  Hopefully your water boiled and you got to cook your noodles (they need 3 minutes).  Put some noodles and tofu in a bowl and enjoy.

Tofu hanging out in veggie oil . . .

Look flowers . . .

Tofu, corn, and onion . . .

Sauce all mixed up . . .

Cook down the sauce . . .

A bowl full of wonderful!

It turned out fantastic.  I'm totally going to make it again.  Its spicy and just a bit sweet.  Next time I may use a different vegetable or something to mix it up a bit.  Yummy!

Cooking Korean: Jjajangmyun (black bean noodles)

I've been cooking Korean again.  I made Jjajangmyun (black bean noodles).  I love noodles, but haven't been eating them much lately, so this seemed like a good recipe to try.  Once again the recipes can be found at Maangchi.com.  Like always the video is helpful!  Plus, the music is very fun for this one . . . I love The Clash!

Jjajangmyun from Maangchi on Vimeo.

I followed the recipe very closely, but I did use a different brand of black bean sauce and a daikon instead of a Korean radish (which I couldn't find).  Plus, I added some leftover shitake mushrooms I had.  I did find Korean noodles though! However, I decided to use the buckwheat variety.

Root veg and crispy pork belly!

Everything delicious cooking away!

Yummy fresh pasta!

The past gives me permission to add stuff to the pasta ie radish juice . . .

Sauce all done (I may have made it a bit thick . . .)

Look at that delicious pasta!

I cut everything at the start and put it in different bowls.  I think cooked the black bean paste at the same time that I stir fried the pork belly.  I also made sure it was very well cooked as I like it very crispy. I then added the root veg.  Cooked that for 3 minutes and then added the other veg and fired for 3 more minutes.   I followed the direction for the rest, but I didn't add the sugar as it was already pretty sweet (the bought paste or extra sweet sweet potatoes I don't know).

Lunch! Ninja Optional.

In the end, it turned out good.  The veggies are super soft and the pork belly super crisp.  It did turn out a bit salty though . . . I think its the black bean paste I bought.  I would use a different type next time, but I'm still pretty happy with it.  Yum!