What Do Black Bean Noodles (Jajangmyeon) Taste Like?
Black bean noodles are also called Jajangmyeon in the Korean language since the recipe originally came from Korean tradition. If you ask how black bean noodles taste, here’s the answer.
Black Bean Noodles is a hybrid dish that is actually part Chinese and part Korean which was considered Chinese cuisine once. The common traditional recipe consists of Vegetables, Wheat-based noodles, pork, and most importantly black soybean paste. This paste makes it tastes a bit salty and slightly bitter. The overall recipe is overwhelmingly rich and savory.
In this article, you will get to know everything about black bean noodles, including their taste recipe and nutrition facts. Keep reading further to learn more.
What Do Black Bean Noodles Taste Like? – Flavor and Texture
What ingredients you use to make black bean noodles will affect their taste and flavor. Although
However, the flavors may still stay like the original since the real taste comes from the sauce, and the looks can differ significantly. You will get an idea of its flavor and texture from below,
Flavor
The black bean sauce is the one that changes everything in these noodles.
Black bean sauce is not entirely made from just black beans. Soya beans are also used in making this sauce. Not only that, expect a soothing taste of fermented flour since all three are mainly used in the core recipe of this sauce.
People all around the world use chili, tomato, garlic, and different other flavored sauces with noodles but this sauce gives the taste of everything all together in your noodles.
Depending on location, many people use soy sauce while making the paste of black bean sauce so the flavor gets a strong boost.
You can expect very salty, but bitter along with a slightly pungent taste. In addition, a mixture of pork, garnishes, aromatics, and vegetables gives it an earthly taste of sweet spicy taste. You can also expect a flavor of onions and zucchini.
Texture:
This noodle is filled with a thick texture that won’t even make you think twice about its distinctiveness.
No matter what kind of black bean noodles you choose, all of them are slightly chewy. Their thick texture is extremely filling in the noodles bowl which looks super delicious. When black bean sauces are poured on them, the noodles absorb the sauce and become juicier.
Over all these, adding pork gives it extra meaty chewiness. This is one of the most delightful and chewy dishes among all the traditional Asian dishes.
What Are the Varieties of Black Bean Noodles?
There are two variants of black bean noodles.
- Udon noodles and
- Cumin.
The udon noodle variant has a savory and sweet flavor. It’s more like sweet and sour pickles that are found in Asian countries but in noodles flavor. These noodles are thick and round.
Unlike thin noodles, you will get a juicy bite from these noodles. They come in off-white colors usually before you put the sauce in them. Although when it’s raw, the flavor is pretty neutral black bean sauce is what brings all its taste ingredients to life. It has a tendered texture.
Cumin noodles are thick, but not as thick as udon noodles. The black bean recipe differs a lot depending on the thickness since the sauce has to be mixed with the noodles.
You can get the main difference between undone and cumin noodles are more like the Shanghai style, while humans are more like the Japanese style. Cumin black bean noodles are also very filling since they are thick but they have a bit more yellowish color.
Although these have a similar neutral taste to udon noodles if you want a more fulfilling taste then you should use Udon noodles in your recipe.
What Are The Health Benefits of Black Bean Noodles?
Black bean noodles are a very rich alternative to your everyday food menu. It can serve as much protein as a good healthy meal. We listed the nutritional chart to give you an idea of how good this black bean noodle is.
The following chart consists of the value of 1 serving weight of 203 grams.
| Nutrients | Amount |
| Calories | 625.2 kCal |
| Total carbs | 88-gram |
| Protein | 14 gram |
| Fat | 24 gram |
| Sugar | 10-gram |
| Sodium | 1290 milligrams |
It’s a great gluten-free alternative to the regular noodles we consume every day.
Black bean noodles help you in
- Regular digestion
- Lcholesterol levels because fiber is present in its ingredients
- This natural source also helps to reduce heart risk and increase heart health
- Jajangmyeon gives you 100 more calories than regular noodles. Keep in mind that these calories are coming from protein than empty calories coming from simple carbs.
Black Bean Noodles Recipe
Cooking Black bean noodles is pretty easy and convenient for anyone around the kitchen. In fact, it’s affordable too. Here’s how you can make a delicious bowl of black bean noodles to have a light yet filling meal.
Ingredients Needed:
- Chunjang – It is a black bean Korean-style paste, especially to make Jajangmyeon.
- Udon/Jajangmyeon noodles – Wheat thick noodles are usually used to make Iajangmyeon.
- Danmuji – is yellow pickled radish that pairs well with the Jajangmyeon sauce.
Cooking Process:
1. At first, mix pork, mirin, ginger, salt, and pepper. Put a large skillet over low heat and add oil. Then add black bean paste and sugar and stir for a few minutes.
2. Pour the mixture into a bowl and place the skillet back over medium heat. Add oil and sauté marinated pork. Add shrimp.
3. Place the skillet back over medium-high heat. Pour the pork and shrimp mix back in the skillet and keep cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. The crisped black bean paste should be well mixed into the meat and vegetable mixture.
4. Stir in water to the ingredients in the skillet until the sauce is smooth and boiling.
5. Stir in the cornstarch slurry until the sauce thickens. Keep warm after removing from heat.
6. Place a sizable saucepan of water on high heat. When the water starts to boil, add the noodles and cook them through, stirring periodically, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until they are fully cooked but still a bit chewy. Noodles should be rinsed gently and quickly after being drained into a sieve.
7. Stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Keep warm after removing from heat.
8. Place a sizable saucepan of water over high heat. When the water starts to boil, add the noodles and cook them through, stirring periodically, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until they are fully cooked but still a bit chewy. Noodles should be rinsed gently and quickly after being drained into a sieve.
FAQs
Can black bean noodles make you fat?
Since this dish uses a lot of calorie-rich ingredients such as pork and beans, you can expect to get a bit healthy if you consume this dish regularly.
If you compare it with other noodles dishes, you can find that the nutrition chart indicates more fattening properties than other noodles ingredients. If you are looking for a good balance of every macronutrient in your regular diet along with dishes like Jajangmyeon, it will absolutely place you on your carbs and fats.
How can you store black bean noodles?
The main ingredient in these noodles is the black bean or the Jajangmyeon sauce.
If you have any black bean sauces left, relocate it in an airtight container and leave it to cool down before putting it in the refrigerator. It can stay in good condition inside the fridge for up to 5 days. It can stay frozen for almost up to 30 days.
But keep in mind that in the case of noodles, it is better to cook as much as you can eat in one sitting.
Are spaghetti and Jajangmyeon are same?
Spaghetti is kind of like pasta and Jajangmyeon is a noodle. You can use the black bean sauce on spaghetti to get the Jajangmyeon taste but it will never be the same. Since thick noodle is used to make this recipe, spaghetti is a long type of pasta, so it can never give the juice and tenderness of the original recipe.
Final Words
Black bean noodles are a healthy dish having delicacy and filling properties as well. Although it’s not very popular in the United States like it’s in Asia, noodles with low carbohydrates and high fiber should definitely be prioritized.
You can get a lot of iron and protein along with a full-filled taste from it. These noodles also contain a cell healing aid component which is really good for your body. Overall Black Bean noodles are a tasty food option for any time and any place in the world.
