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Fork twirling vegetarian black bean sauce noodles - Korean
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Vegan Korean Black Bean Sauce Noodles

While the traditional version of this dish uses pork, this vegan version uses cubes of kabocha squash, a splash of red wine, and dried porcini mushrooms for a complex and richly flavored sauce. 
Course Main Course
Cuisine Korean
Keyword noodles
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 641kcal

Ingredients

  • Tb  oil
  • tsp  garlic minced
  • 1/2  Korean black bean paste sometimes called Chinese black bean paste
  • kabocha squash 1" dice
  • onion 1/2" dice
  • zucchini 1" dice
  • ¼  red wine or water if you don't want to use wine
  • 1/4  dried porcini mushrooms (or dried shitake mushrooms with stems removed) rehydrated in water for at least 5 minutes
  • water
  • cabbage sliced
  • Tb  potato starch or cornstarch mixed with 4 Tb water
  • lb  Jia Jiang Myeon noodles or other noodles  cooked according to package directions

Instructions

  • Heat oil to medium heat. Saute chopped garlic for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.
  • Add black bean paste and saute for 1-2 minutes. 
  • Add kabocha squash and cook 3-4 minutes until squash starts to soften slightly.  
  • Add zucchini and onion.  Cook 1-2 minutes.  Deglaze pan with red wine and porcini mushroom with liquid. 
  • Add water and cabbage.  Bring sauce to a simmer.  Add potato starch and cook for 8-10 minutes until kabocha squash is tender and easily pierced with a fork. 
  • Ladle over individual bowls of hot, cooked noodles. 

Notes

  1. If pressed for time, make this sauce 2-3 days in advance and refrigerate.  Reheat and serve with fresh boiled noodles for a quick meal. Freeze the sauce, if you would really like to make a big batch.
  2. Key denoters of this dish are the glossiness of the sauce and the opaque white al dente onions that peek through the black abyss of sauce when first made.
  3. Fermented black bean paste products vary greatly in saltiness.  Adjust the amount as needed if using a different brand.
  4. Potato starch will result in a silkier, glossier sauce and is the preferred thickener of choice.  Substitute with cornstarch if you don’t have it on hand.
  5. While traditionally made with small diced cubes of pork, when made en masse, ground pork can be substituted just as easily while also being easier on the pocketbook.

Nutrition

Calories: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 127g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1474mg | Potassium: 1239mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1910IU | Vitamin C: 63.3mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 2.6mg