Team Spicy's Seafood Noodle aka Jjam-ppong

korean spicy jjamppong seafood noodles.jpg

JJAM-PPONG.

it’s fun to say.

JJAMPPONG, Korea's famous Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup. This will kick Tom Yum and Cioppino’s butts with its spicy superpower. You know spice has many health benefits, right? Try some loaded with chilli powder and peppers next time you get a cold and see the sinus-blocking mucus run off in tears.

You can of course go the other way completely and make it friendly to those with sensitive tummies and palates (read: children, read: people like the Wife). Just omit all spicy pepper elements and you’ve got a soothing broth with soy sauce umami.

What you need:

  • Soy Sauce

  • Chicken broth concentrate

  • Garlic

  • Oil

  • Oyster Sauce (optional)

  • Gochugaru (Chilli Pepper Powder -optional)

  • Pork

  • Seafood of your choice

  • Napa Cabbage

  • Onion

  • Green onions

  • Spicy Chilli Pepper (optional)

  • Noodles - same as JJAJANGMYUN noodles, but any Asian wheat noodle will work in a pinch.

What you do:

JJAMPPONG

  1. Pour generous amount of oil in pan- you are going to fry the pork pretty crispy then going to make some green onion-infused oil.

  2. When pork develops a golden brown colour, add garlic and green onions until oil is fragrant (5 minutes).

  3. Add all the veg: cabbage, onions, chilli peppers.

  4. Fry until veggies soften (10 mins).

  5. Add gochugaru. Stir until powder is all over all the ingredients.

  6. Add water- submerge all ingredients.

  7. Add chicken stock concentrate. If using chicken broth just add that instead of water.

  8. Bring to a bubbling boil.

  9. Add seafood.

  10. Bring to a final boil.

  11. Remove from heat.

NOODLES

  1. Put noodles in water.

  2. Bring to a fast boil.

  3. When the bubbles are going, pour some cold water until the bubbles die down.

  4. Bring to a boil a 2nd time. If you like noodles with bite, this might be enough for you. Try it.

  5. When it boils again, pour cold water and bring it down.

  6. Bring to a boil a 3rd time.

  7. Done. Check to make sure it’s done to a consistency you like.

  8. Korean wheat noodles are usually given a quick cold rinse to stop the cooking process, wash away any remaining starch and to keep noodles from sticking together. The hot soup will heat it back up.

Enjoy!

Notes:

  • SAUCE: The main components are soy sauce and gochugaru. If you make a mild version, chicken stock and soy sauce. Oyster sauce and chicken stock (spicy ver) are optional.

  • Dial up the spicy with a bigger ratio of gochugaru and spicy chilli peppers.

  • Tone down the spicy by omitting gochugaru and chilli peppers. Add chicken broth for a soothing flavour and season with soy sauce.

  • Meat: Pork is traditionally added for the flavour the lard imparts. But it’s completely optional- you can make it strictly seafood or even all vegetarian. ALTERNATIVES: Beef/Chicken (but this dish would then be called Chicken Spicy Soup-Dack-Mae-Oon-Tang).

  • Seafood: This was an unusual day and we had fresh squid in the house, but the frozen seafood mix will serve just fine. ALTERNATIVES: Mussels, seafood mix.

  • VEGETABLE ALTERNATIVES: Carrots/ Asian mushrooms- Oyster, Shiitake, Wood Ear, Enoki/ Bean sprouts/ Zucchini/ Vegetarian “meat”/ other kinds of Cabbage/Baby corn… whatever you like!

  • If you’re out of Asian noodles but have Spaghetti Pasta Noodles, boil it in water with some baking soda and it will come oit like ramen noodles. Seriously. I know. You’re welcome.

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