Jjajangmyeon

Bring a pot of water to the boil for the noodles.

Peel the potatoes and soak them in cold water so they do not brown.

Cut the radish into half inch cubes, about one cup; cut the squash and potato the same size.

Cut the onion into small pieces, one and a half cups.

Chop the pork shoulder into small pieces, skin included.

Heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil in a hot pan and fry the pork over high heat until each piece is crispy and the fat has rendered out.

Pour off the rendered fat, leaving the crunchy pork.

Stir-fry the hard vegetables first, radish, then potato, then onion, then zucchini, until the potato looks half translucent.

Clear a spot in the centre, add two tablespoons of vegetable oil and a quarter cup of black bean paste, and fry it in the centre about one minute.

Add two cups of water, cover with a lid, and cook about 10 minutes until the vegetables are fully cooked.

Mix two tablespoons of potato starch with a quarter cup of water and a teaspoon of sugar; stir it in slowly until the sauce thickens.

Add one teaspoon of sesame oil and take off the heat.

Cook the noodles over high heat, taste one to check, then rinse in cold water to make them chewier.

Reheat the sauce, spoon it over the noodles and top with cucumber matchsticks.

Variation: serve the same sauce over rice as jjajangbap, with yellow pickled radish alongside.