Bring The Heat & Jam Out To Jjamppong
Jjamppong spicy seafood noodles are all about being bold and loud! Here are the essentials to enjoying the perfect bowl.
by James Bbang
When it comes to Korean seafood, there are a few important elements that are always prevalent: spiciness and savoriness. There is no other Korean dish that embodies these characteristics more so than a piping-hot bowl of jjamppong! Jjamppong (짬뽕, pronounced is one point of the trifecta of Korean-Chinese cuisine, alongside its close cousins jjajangmyun and tangsuyuk. Apart from being the most-ordered items among Koreans, these dishes also represent the top three favorite flavor profiles of Koreans: spicy, savory, and sweet.
Here are the most essential elements to enjoying a perfect bowl of jjamppong. Your jjamppong should be HOT. NO ONE likes a lukewarm bowl of stew or soup. It's not jjamppong if yours is close to room temperature - it's lameppong. Don't let the noodles sit for too long. The flip side of having your jjamppong nice and hot is that your noodles will become overcooked if you don't attack it quickly enough. That means they'll be soft and limp after having absorbed all the soup! Your noodles should be cooked juust right.
Don't be afraid of the seafood. There's going to be a LOT of it, including mussels, clams, shrimp, octopus, and squid. Each one provides a unique flavor to the entire dish, and you'll be able to enjoy plenty of tasty bites! If seafood isn't your thing, maybe this is a chance for you to try something new!
Ignoring the vegetables is a mistake. Jjamppong is a pretty heavy dish in terms of taste and sodium. The veggies provide a nice, refreshing balance to the noodles, seafood, and broth.
Pair jjamppong with jjajangmyun!
Seriously - why not both? Prepare for an overload of deliciousness and sodium.
No noodles? Throw in some rice to make jjamppongbap (짬뽕밥)! Rice is seriously nice in nearly any situation.
Don't wear white or nice clothing when eating. This soup has no mercy when it comes to stains. But when you're in the right attire, slurp away.
Have napkins and tissues on hand. If your body's reaction to hot and spicy food is anything like most everyone's, then you'll be getting a tad sweaty and mucous-y. Be prepared! 
We hope you have a blast with your jjamppong! If you're looking for a quick option to try at home, be sure to check out a SnackFever favorite, Jin Jjamppong!
