Okinawa Jaja Soba (Soba With Kimchi and Miso Meat Sauce)

This unique and refreshing dish makes use of Okinawa soba, kimchi, and miso based meat sauce. It's a dish with a unique combination of tastes that you wouldn't expect would go along together.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 piece cucumber
• 1⁄3 piece scallion
• 1⁄3 piece carrot
• 1⁄3 piece bitter melon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  garlic clove, grated
• 3  tablespoons scallions, minced
• 4  tablespoons miso
• 2  tablespoons  awamori
• 2 1⁄2 tablespoons sugar
• 1  tablespoon  sesame oil
• 250  g ground pork
• 2  teaspoons  broad chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 200  g  okinawa  soba noodles
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  sesame oil
• 3  drops  chili oil (layu)

Directions

1. Start by preparing the vegetables to be used. Slice the cucumber, scallions and carrot into fine strips.
2. Cut the bitter melon in half then use a spoon to scoop out the white part in the middle which contains the seeds. Slice the bitter melon crosswise thinly.
3. Grate the garlic then mince the white part of scallions. In a bowl, combine the garlic, scallions, sugar, awamori and miso paste.
4. Bring water in a pot to a boil then boil the carrot strips for about 2 minutes or until preferred doneness. Remove the carrot from pan then rinse it with cold running water.
5. On the same pot, bring back water into a boil then add half a teaspoon of salt. Put the sliced bitter melon then boil it for 2-3 minutes or until soft. Remove the bitter melon from the pan then immediately rinse with cold running water to stop the cooking process and to keep its nice green color.
6. Heat a pan using medium heat then add a tablespoon of sesame oil. Put the ground pork into the pan then stir fry until the color turns brown and is cooked through.
7. Make a space in the middle of the pan then add doubanjiang. Cook for about a minute in the middle then mix it well with the ground pork.
8. Add the miso sauce then pour half a cup of water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low then cook until most of the liquid is reduced which takes about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from heat.
9. Cook the soba noodles following the instructions in the package then drain and immediately rinse with cold running water. Toss it with half a tablespoon of sesame oil to prevent the noodles from sticking.
10. Put a serving amount of the soba noodles on a plate. Add some kimchi then the miso meat sauce on top. Add a few slices of the bitter melon then the rest of the strips of vegetables.
11. Add a few drops of chili oil if you prefer your jaja soba to be spicier.