Jajangmyeon

Step 1: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a medium-low heat. Add 5 tbsp chunjang (Korean black-bean paste) and fry, stirring all the time, for 3 minutes, until it loosens, smells roasted and the oil turns dark. Common mistake: skipping this step. Raw chunjang tastes bitter and sharp; frying it is what makes the sauce mellow.

Step 2: Tip the fried paste into a bowl, leaving as much oil in the wok as you can.

Step 3: Turn the heat to high. Add 9 oz pork shoulder or belly and 1 tsp ginger and stir-fry for 4 minutes, until the pork is browned on all sides.

Step 4: Add 2 onions and 1 potato and stir-fry for 4 minutes, until the onion turns translucent at the edges.

Step 5: Add 1 courgette and 3 ½ oz white cabbage and stir-fry for 2 minutes more.

Step 6: Stir the fried chunjang back in with 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp oyster sauce, then pour in 1 ¾ cups water. Bring to the boil.

Step 7: Lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 8 minutes, until the potato is soft when pierced with a knife and the pork is cooked through with no pink inside.

Step 8: Mix 2 tbsp potato starch or cornflour with 4 tbsp cold water. With the sauce simmering, stir it in a little at a time until the sauce is thick and glossy enough to coat a spoon. You may not need all of it.

Step 9: Meanwhile cook 1 ⅓ lb fresh thick wheat noodles (jajangmyeon or udon) in a large pan of boiling water following the packet, usually 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, rinse briefly in warm water and drain again.

Step 10: Divide the noodles between wide bowls, ladle the sauce over and top with ½ cucumber. Serve with 3 ½ oz yellow pickled radish (danmuji) and mix everything together well before eating.