Jjolmyeon Recipe: Achieving the Perfect Chewy Texture
The texture of jjolmyeon is truly delightful.
Unlike ramen or regular noodles that tend to break easily, jjolmyeon noodles possess a delightful chewiness and resilience that make each bite a satisfying experience.
Today, why not indulge in the chewy goodness and spicy allure of jjolmyeon? Let its flavors transport you to a realm of culinary bliss, effectively washing away the stresses of the day.
Jjolmyeon Ingredients (Serves 2)
- Jjolmyeon: 400g
- Cucumber: 1/2
- Cabbage: 1/4
- Carrot: 1/4
- Bean sprouts: 100g
- Egg: 1
- Toasted sesame oil: 1 tablespoon
Sauce
- Minced garlic: 1/2 tablespoon
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste): 2 tablespoons
- Red pepper flakes: 3 tablespoons
- Vinegar: 2 tablespoons
- Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Sugar: 1 tablespoon
- Cider: 3 tablespoons
Jjolmyeon Coolking Steps
Here is a cooking recipe for making jjolmyeon. Just follow each step, and you'll be able to make delicious jjolmyeon.
Here's the cooking process
- Boil water in a pot and cook the jjolmyeon for about 5 minutes.
- Rinse the cooked jjolmyeon in cold water and drain off excess water.
- Slice the cucumber, cabbage, and carrot thinly.
- Parboil the bean sprouts in boiling water, then rinse them in cold water and drain.
- Prepare all the vegetables.
- Boil the egg, then cut it in half.
- Mix minced garlic, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, more minced garlic, gochujang, red pepper flakes, etc. to make the sauce.
- Put the cooked jjolmyeon in a bowl, sprinkle with sesame oil and sauce, then add prepared vegetables and egg on top.
Tip
- Rinsing the jjolmyeon in cold water helps maintain its chewy texture.
- The spiciness and sweetness of the sauce can be adjusted according to personal taste by varying the amounts of ingredients.
- Adding ingredients like seaweed, sesame seeds, etc., on top of the jjolmyeon enhances its flavor.
Calorie information for jjolmyeon (based on 2 servings)
Let's find out how many calories jjolmyeon contains.
| Jjolmyeon (400g) | 422 Cal |
| Cucumber (1/2) | 23 Cal |
| Cabbage (1/4) | 53 Cal |
| Carrot (1/4) | 11 Cal |
| Bean sprouts (100g) | 29 Cal |
| Egg (1) | 74 Cal |
| Toasted sesame oil (1 tablespoon) | 120 Cal |
| Minced garlic (1/2 tablespoon) | 8 Cal |
| Gochujang (2 tablespoons) | 66 Cal |
| Red pepper flakes (3 tablespoons) | 72 Cal |
| Vinegar (2 tablespoons) | 6 Cal |
| Soy sauce (1 tablespoon) | 8 Cal |
| Sugar (1 tablespoon) | 48 Cal |
| Cider (3 tablespoons) | 20 Cal |
| Estimated total calories | 960 Cal |
Nutrients and Benefits of Jjolmyeon
Jjolmyeon contains a variety of nutrients that can contribute to good health. Let's take a look at the nutrients and benefits you can obtain by consuming jjolmyeon.
Nutrients in Jjolmyeon
- Carbohydrates: Jjolmyeon is primarily made from starch, so it is rich in carbohydrates. These provide energy and serve as fuel for the body's activities.
- Protein: Jjolmyeon contains a small amount of protein. Protein is essential for building and repairing muscles.
- Vitamins and Minerals: Since various vegetables are used as ingredients, jjolmyeon can contain a variety of vitamins and minerals. Especially when plenty of vegetables are used, you can get vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, and more.
- Dietary Fiber: Jjolmyeon contains dietary fiber, which aids digestion and helps maintain gut health.
Benefits of Jjolmyeon
- Energy Boost: Its high carbohydrate content allows for quick replenishment of energy.
- Fatigue Relief: High levels of vitamins B1, B2, and B6 help alleviate fatigue.
- Prevention of Constipation: Its high dietary fiber content aids in preventing constipation.
- Improvement of Blood Circulation: High potassium content contributes to better blood circulation.
- Enhancement of Immune System: High levels of vitamin C and zinc help strengthen the immune system.
Enjoying jjolmyeon in a healthy way
- One reason why eating jjolmyeon can be beneficial for health is that it provides a variety of nutrients along with the assorted vegetables and broth it's served with.
- It's recommended to cook jjolmyeon with various ingredients to balance nutrient intake.
- It's important to adjust the ingredients and consume an appropriate amount according to one's health condition.
- Those with weak stomachs should be cautious, as jjolmyeon's texture may cause gastrointestinal issues.
- Therefore, it's important to chew it thoroughly when eating.
The Tale of Jjolmyeon (feat. Jjolmyeon Noodles)
The Beginning of Jjolmyeon
There are various legends surrounding the history of jjolmyeon.
The fact that there's no definitive story might suggest there's an interesting background to it.
One of the most well-known stories claims that at a noodle factory called Gwangsin JeMyeon, while producing naengmyeon noodles, they accidentally used the wrong nozzle, resulting in thick noodles. Instead of discarding them, they gave them away for free to a nearby snack shop, where the owner made the first jjolmyeon using the noodles with spicy gochujang sauce and vegetables.
Another story suggests that Mrs. Jang, the owner of Gwangsin JeMyeon at the time, developed jjolmyeon to improve the texture of the noodles, which were too soft and easily breakable.
Additionally, there's a claim that Samsung Food Industries in the Incheon area conducted research and development, resulting in the creation of jjolmyeon, and some argue that this version of the story is the most credible.
Characteristics of Jjolmyeon
Jjolmyeon is characterized by its thick, chewy noodles compared to naengmyeon. Its texture is firm and bouncy.
Jjolmyeon noodles are made with potato starch, giving them their chewy texture, and they require less cooking time compared to naengmyeon noodles.
The seasoning for jjolmyeon typically consists of spicy gochujang sauce mixed with vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and other seasoning ingredients.
Lastly, various toppings such as vegetables and boiled eggs are often added, providing a diverse range of nutrients.
In addition to the basic seasoning, there are various modified dishes using different ingredients.
Some versions emphasize spiciness by adding red pepper powder or green chili peppers, while others include squid ink to create black squid jjolmyeon.
There's also a dish called "naengjjolmyeon", where jjolmyeon noodles are served in chilled broth.
