½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup Korean black bean paste (chunjang)

½ lb. pork belly, cut into ½” inch cubes

Kosher salt

½ medium onion, chopped

1 small zucchini, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch piece ginger, minced

1 ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons water, divided

1 ¾ lb. fresh Korean noodles, or ¾ lb dried, long pasta

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Pinch granulated sugar

Cucumber, cut into matchsticks for garnish

1 In a small pot over medium heat, add oil and heat until

shimmering. Add black bean paste and cook, stirring constantly to avoid sticking or burning, until the black bean paste has stiffened slightly in texture and is very fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes.

2 Transfer black bean paste to a bowl, and reserve the remaining oil for cooking.

3 In a large wok or heavy bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat until it shimmers. Season pork belly with salt, then add to the wok. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork has browned, turned slightly crispy, and some of the fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes.

4 Add onions and zucchini, and cook until just semi-translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Toss in cabbage and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes more.

5 Stir in the reserved black bean paste. Toss and cook until everything is coated, about 1 minute. Pour in 1 ¾ cup water, making sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the wok.

6 Bring mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened and it coats the back of a spoon. You should be able to draw a line through it with your finger.

7While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt. Add the noodles and cook according to instructions until just al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.

8 In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of warm water to make a slurry. Add slurry to black bean sauce mixture and stir in fully. Cook until the sauce has reached your desired thickness, about 1 to 3 minutes.

9 To serve, fill bowls with noodles then top with a few ladles of sauce. Top with cucumber and serve.