Ganjjajang with Pork Shoulder and Crispy Fried Egg

Method

1. Cut the pork shoulder into 1 cm cubes and toss with the Shaoxing wine, half the ginger (finely minced) and the white pepper; leave for 10 min. Meanwhile, cut the onion and cabbage into chunky 2 cm squares, slice the green onion, mince the rest of the ginger and the garlic, and cut the cucumber into fine matchsticks.

   Add in this stepPork shoulder 200 gShaoxing wine (or dry sake) 2 tspFresh ginger 5 gWhite pepper 1 pinch

2. Put half the lard and the chunjang in a 20 cm pan and fry over low heat for 3 min, stirring constantly. When it bubbles and smells toasty, tip it into a fine sieve to drain off the fat and keep the paste. Don't throw the drained fat away: it makes a wonderfully savoury fried egg.

   Add in this stepLard (or neutral oil) 2½ tbspChunjang (Korean black bean paste) 6 tbsp

   low heat

3. Heat lard in a 28 cm wok over medium heat and fry the green onion, ginger and garlic for 1 min to make a scallion oil. When the green onion just starts to colour at the edges, turn up to high heat, add the pork and stir-fry for 3 min 30 sec. Once the pork is golden, pour the soy sauce around the edge of the wok so it sizzles and caramelises.

   Add in this stepLard (or neutral oil) 1¾ tbspLarge green onion (daepa) 50 gFresh ginger 5 gGarlic cloves 3Soy sauce 2 tsp

   medium heat→high heat

4. Add the onion and cabbage and stir-fry over high heat for 3 min, tossing the wok quickly. Only the edges of the onion should turn translucent; the centres must stay crunchy. That crunch is the whole point of ganjjajang, so don't overcook. For 3 to 4 servings, fry in two batches if the wok overflows.

   Add in this stepOnion 400 gGreen cabbage 100 g

   high heat

5. Turn down to medium heat and add the fried chunjang, sugar, oyster sauce and chicken stock; toss for 2 min until the sauce clings to everything and turns glossy. There is no starch, so if it looks wet, cook it down a little longer.

   Add in this stepSugar 4 tspOyster sauce 2 tspChicken stock 70 ml

   medium heat

6. Heat a generous film of the remaining lard (or the drained chunjang fat) in a 20 cm pan over medium-high heat, crack in the eggs and fry for 2 min, until the edges are brown, puffed and crisp and the yolks still soft. Slide the eggs in from low down, as the hot fat can spit.

   Add in this stepEggs 2Lard (or neutral oil) ¾ tbsp

   medium-high heat

7. Bring 2.5 L of water to a rolling boil over high heat, cook the noodles for 4 min, rinse under cold water to remove the starch, then pour hot water over them and divide between bowls. Top the noodles with the fried egg and cucumber, and serve the ganjjajang sauce on the side to pour over and mix just before eating.

   Add in this stepFresh wheat noodles (thick) 300 gCucumber 60 g

   high heat