Jjamppong Pasta (Korean Spicy Seafood Pasta, 짬뽕 파스타)
My notes for this recipe
Jjamppong is a spicy Korean-Chinese noodle soup usually made with seafood, vegetables, and a deeply flavored red broth. Together with jjajangmyeon and tangsuyuk, it is one of the classic dishes found at Korean-Chinese restaurants.
This pasta version is not a traditional jjamppong recipe, but it captures the spicy, savory character of the dish with ingredients that are practical for home cooking. Pasta noodles work surprisingly well with the seafood broth and make this an easy dish to prepare when Korean noodles are unavailable.
I make this regularly when I want something warming, spicy, and full of vegetables and seafood. Adjust the amount of gochugaru to make the broth as mild or spicy as you prefer.
How I cook it
Prepare the seafood
Fully thaw the frozen seafood mix or shrimp. If desired, add a small splash of vinegar to the water while thawing to reduce any fishy odor. Drain well afterward. Fresh seafood can be used directly.
Prepare the vegetables
Slice the onion about 1 cm thick, cut the daepa into finger-length pieces, and roughly chop the napa cabbage or white cabbage. Finely chop the tomato. If using cherry tomatoes, finely chop a handful instead.
Add the pasta and vegetables
Add the uncooked pasta to a large wok or wide pot. Add the onion, daepa, cabbage, and finely chopped tomatoes, and distribute everything evenly.
Add the seasonings
Add the minced garlic, olive oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock powder, sesame oil, gochugaru, and salt. For a spicier version, add more gochugaru or use the listed combination of cayenne pepper and crushed chili peppers.
Add the water and bring to a boil
Pour 1.5 liters of water into the wok and add the dashima, if available. Bring everything to a boil over high heat. You can remove the dashima once the broth begins to boil, or leave it in if you like to eat it with the dish. Keep the cooking time of your pasta in mind. De Cecco Spaghetti No. 12 takes about 10 minutes to cook al dente.
Add the seafood and finish cooking
Once the liquid is boiling, add the prepared seafood and the mushrooms, if using. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or adjust the cooking time to suit your pasta. Serve hot once the pasta is cooked and the seafood is fully cooked.
