Ganjang Jjajang

A deep, glossy black sauce exhaling roasted soy notes. The pork belly is melt-in-your-mouth tender, while the vegetables are flash-fried to retain a slight crunch.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 685
• Protein: 11 g
• Carbs: 32 g
• Fat: 55 g

Ingredients

• 300 g Pork belly ( in small cubes )
• 2 piece Yellow onion ( coarsely chopped )
• 1 piece Zucchini ( diced )
• 1 piece Potato ( in 1cm cubes )
• 3 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 1 tsp Ginger powder
• 2 tbsp Korean soy sauce
• 1 tbsp White sugar
• 1 tbsp Corn starch
• 4 tbsp Peanut oil
• 400 ml Mineral water
• 150 g Black bean paste (Chunjang)

Instructions

1. Prepping the bases

   Cut the pork belly into one-centimeter cubes. Dice the onions, zucchini, and potato into even pieces. Finely mince the garlic.

2. Searing the meat

   In a wok with peanut oil, sear the pork over high heat until the fat is golden brown and the meat starts to crisp.

3. Sweating the vegetables

   Add the onions, potato, and zucchini. Stir-fry vigorously. When the onions become translucent, add the garlic and ginger powder.

4. Toasting the paste

   Make a well in the center, pour in the black bean paste and sugar. Mix with the oil to toast the paste for one minute before incorporating the rest of the ingredients.

5. Hydrating and binding

   Pour in the water and soy sauce. Let simmer. Bind with cornstarch diluted in a bit of cold water. The sauce should become thick and perfectly coat the back of a spoon.

Chef's tips

• Do not skip frying the paste: this removes the bitterness and develops the aromas.
• Cut all your vegetables to the same size for even cooking and a pleasant bite.

Storage

Keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The sauce thickens when cold; add a splash of water before reheating.