By Nagi Maehashi

Kimchi pickling juice squeezed from kimchi cabbage is packed with umami and is a secret weapon used in Korean cooking.

Here, I’m using it as the basis of a dynamite noodle sauce that explodes with fiery Korean flavour. A little vegetable chopping is the only other thing needed in what might just be the world’s fastest spicy noodle stir-fry! Yes, it’s spicy. But don’t fret if your heat-o-meter caps out on the tamer side. You can always substitute some miso paste for the gochujang to dial down the spiciness.

SERVES: 1
PREP AND COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES

ingredients

200g udon noodles 1, fresh or shelf-stable
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 cup (80g) bean sprouts
½ cup (120g) cabbage kimchi 2, excess juice squeezed out
2 green onions, cut into batons, white part separated from the green part
Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

SAUCE

2 tbsp kimchi juice 2 from the kimchi jar (see above)
1 tbsp gochujang 3
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp light soy sauce 4 (or all-purpose soy sauce)

method

Prepare noodles – Prepare the udon noodles according to the packet directions (usually soaked in boiling water for a few minutes), then drain in a colander. Time the noodles so they are tossed into the pan when hot – don’t leave them sitting around in the colander.

Stir-fry – Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan* over high heat. Add the garlic, bean sprouts, kimchi and the white part of the green onion. Cook for 1 minute until the bean sprouts are almost wilted. Add (in this order): the green part of the green onion, the noodles and all the sauce ingredients. Toss for 2 minutes until the sauce stains the noodles.

Serve – Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using), then devour!

NOTES

1 I prefer to use udon noodles either from the refrigerator at grocery stores or vacuum-sealed packets sold in the aisles. I personally don’t think dried udon noodles are that great. I’d rather substitute with other kinds of noodles, such as hokkien or egg noodles. Use 150g fresh from the fridge or 100g dried.

2 Kimchi is Korean fermented cabbage that is spicy and tangy. It is sold in jars and widely available these days in Australia. In this recipe, we’re using the cabbage in the stir-fry (use your hands to squeeze out most of the liquid) and the liquid from the kimchi jar for the sauce. Excellent free flavour!

3 Gochujang is a Korean chilli paste made from soybeans. Loved for the spicy-sweet-savouriness it adds to anything, a little bit goes a long way. Excellent flavour shortcut! You can find it in most grocery stores in Australia these days, or in Asian/Korean grocery stores. It lasts ‘forever’ in the fridge.

4 Please do not substitute with dark soy sauce*. Too intense! It will ruin this dish.