Jjamppong 

Ingredients

• Serves 2 people
• 160 g dried jajangmyeon noodles
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• ½ tbsp ginger paste
• 100 g pork belly(thinly sliced) (pork may be substituted with chicken. Turn it into seafood Jjamppong but adding prawns, squid and fish fillet 1 minute before the mussels.)
• 60 g white onion(thinly sliced)
• 70 g carrots(julienned)
• 50 g white cabbage (napa)(thinly sliced)
• 60 g shimeji mushrooms(separated and trimmed)
• 3 tbsp gochugaru
• 1 tsp capsaicin powder
• 700 ml chicken stock
• ½ tsp of salt(optional)
• 20 fresh/frozen mussels(scrubbed and beards removed)
• 60 g baby bok choy(leaves separated and trimmed)
• 10 g spring onions(thinly sliced)

Instructions

Stir-fry the veggies

1. In a medium soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the pork belly, white onion, carrots, cabbage, garlic paste and ginger paste. Saute for 2 mins.
2. Add the mushrooms, gochugaru and capsaicin, stir well for one minute.
3. Add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes. Taste to see if additional salt is needed (this is dependent on your chicken stock too).
4. Leave aside until the noodles are cooked

Cook the noodles

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. When boiling, add the noodles and cook for 2-3 mins until tender or follow package instructions.
3. Drain the noodles and shock with cold water. 
4. Drain and distribute between two serving bowls.

Add the mussels

1. Bring the Jjamppong stock back to a simmer, and add the mussels and bok choy.
2. Cover and cook till the mussels are opened, maximum 3- 4 minutes.

Plate and Serve!

Pour the soup over the noodles, garnish with a tablespoon of spring onions each, and serve!