Black vinegar ferments for 6 months in clay jars, creating the tangy backbone that makes these noodles addictive.
10 Minute Chili Garlic Noodles
Whip up a tantalizing bowl of chili garlic noodles in just 10 minutes! This speedy dish features perfectly cooked noodles tossed in a zesty blend of garlic, soy sauce, and a kick of chili oil for that extra heat. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a satisfying lunch, these noodles are sure to spice up your meal routine!
Prep
5
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This Korean-Chinese street food hybrid exploded across Seoul's university districts in the 1980s when Korean students studying in Beijing brought back dan dan noodles, then swapped Sichuan peppercorns for gochugaru because apparently Korean chili flakes make everything better—now it's the hangover cure that conquered two nations and every late-night food truck from Gangnam to Chinatown.
Regional Twist
In Busan's coastal districts, they toss in dried anchovies with the gochugaru and substitute the ground pork for minced mackerel, turning this inland comfort food into a proper seaside feast.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) gochugaru
- 2 pieces green onions
- 1 lb (454 g) ground pork
- 1 package noodles
- sesame seeds (to taste)
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- black vinegar (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- ginger (to taste)
- oil (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- soy sauce (to taste)
- sugar (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Roughly chop the garlic.
- 2
Grate the ginger.
- 3
Dice and separate the green onions.
- 4
In a bowl, mix soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, gochugaru, and sesame seeds.
- 5
Heat oil in a pan and add garlic, ginger, and green onions until fragrant.
- 6
Add ground pork and a little salt, cooking until browned.
- 7
Stir in the sauce mixture and cook for about a minute.
- 8
Add the noodles and mix well until heated through.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Grate ginger with a microplane against the grain to break down tough fibers and release 30% more volatile oils than chopping, preventing stringy texture in your sauce.technique30% more volatile oils
- ✓Cook garlic for exactly 30-45 seconds until fragrant but not golden, as overcooked garlic develops bitter compounds that will overpower the delicate chili-garlic balance.timing30-45 seconds
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup starchy pasta cooking water before draining noodles - the 6-8% starch content helps emulsify the sauce and prevents it from separating.technique6-8% starch content
- ✓Brown ground pork in a single layer without stirring for 2-3 minutes to develop Maillard reaction compounds that create deeper umami flavors in the final dish.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Toast gochugaru in the hot oil for 10-15 seconds before adding other sauce ingredients to bloom the capsaicin and release fat-soluble flavor compounds.technique10-15 seconds
Share this recipe
Prep
5
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Black vinegar ferments for 6 months in clay jars, creating the tangy backbone that makes these noodles addictive.
10 Minute Chili Garlic Noodles
Whip up a tantalizing bowl of chili garlic noodles in just 10 minutes! This speedy dish features perfectly cooked noodles tossed in a zesty blend of garlic, soy sauce, and a kick of chili oil for that extra heat. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a satisfying lunch, these noodles are sure to spice up your meal routine!
The Story
This Korean-Chinese street food hybrid exploded across Seoul's university districts in the 1980s when Korean students studying in Beijing brought back dan dan noodles, then swapped Sichuan peppercorns for gochugaru because apparently Korean chili flakes make everything better—now it's the hangover cure that conquered two nations and every late-night food truck from Gangnam to Chinatown.
Regional Twist
In Busan's coastal districts, they toss in dried anchovies with the gochugaru and substitute the ground pork for minced mackerel, turning this inland comfort food into a proper seaside feast.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) gochugaru
- 2 pieces green onions
- 1 lb (454 g) ground pork
- 1 package noodles
- sesame seeds (to taste)
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- black vinegar (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- ginger (to taste)
- oil (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- soy sauce (to taste)
- sugar (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Roughly chop the garlic.
- 2
Grate the ginger.
- 3
Dice and separate the green onions.
- 4
In a bowl, mix soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, gochugaru, and sesame seeds.
- 5
Heat oil in a pan and add garlic, ginger, and green onions until fragrant.
- 6
Add ground pork and a little salt, cooking until browned.
- 7
Stir in the sauce mixture and cook for about a minute.
- 8
Add the noodles and mix well until heated through.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Grate ginger with a microplane against the grain to break down tough fibers and release 30% more volatile oils than chopping, preventing stringy texture in your sauce.technique30% more volatile oils
- ✓Cook garlic for exactly 30-45 seconds until fragrant but not golden, as overcooked garlic develops bitter compounds that will overpower the delicate chili-garlic balance.timing30-45 seconds
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup starchy pasta cooking water before draining noodles - the 6-8% starch content helps emulsify the sauce and prevents it from separating.technique6-8% starch content
- ✓Brown ground pork in a single layer without stirring for 2-3 minutes to develop Maillard reaction compounds that create deeper umami flavors in the final dish.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Toast gochugaru in the hot oil for 10-15 seconds before adding other sauce ingredients to bloom the capsaicin and release fat-soluble flavor compounds.technique10-15 seconds