The $6 Dinner Shortcut I Always Pick Up at H Mart
Fresh noodles can be a tricky thing. Making them is a fun project to crank out at home, but it’s also a surefire way to end up with flour everywhere. It can also be a fun splurge to treat dinner guests to, but it can be a drag to schlep to a specialty pasta store just to get them.
H Mart might not be the first place that comes to mind when you’re looking for fresh noodles, but I’m about to let you in on my little secret. Next time, head over to the refrigerated aisles and peer past the bags of rice cake logs — you’ll find these gorgeous spindles of flour-dusted wheat noodles just calling out your name.
What’s So Great About Wang Korean Fresh Udon Noodles?
Wang Korean Fresh Udon Noodles are a surprisingly versatile and forgiving fresh noodle. The name is maybe a little misleading and narrowly focused at first glance: Udon jajang noodles (as their name is in Korean) is a reference to the dish that the noodles are intended to be used for, jjajangmyun, which is a Korean-Chinese black bean noodle dish. They’re also a bit different from Japanese-style udon noodles, which are much thicker and usually sold frozen.
These fresh noodles are so easy to cook — because they are tossed in flour and rolled into convenient (but hefty!) portions, the guesswork of trying to measure out a portion from a box of dried spaghetti is eliminated. Once boiled, the noodles are nicely bouncy and incredibly slurpable.
The noodles are so convenient for a quick weeknight meal; they cook up in just five minutes, and I’ve also found that they don’t overcook easily. So if I get a little distracted prepping the rest of the meal and they cook a little longer, that’s OK! And best of all, the unopened noodles last a long time in the fridge (as in, months), just waiting to be called up to bat.
What’s the Best Way to Use Wang Korean Fresh Udon Noodles?
What I love about these noodles is their versatility. I find myself reaching for them for a variety of dishes: amping up a chicken soup, tossing with with Bolognese, or using as the star of my signature kimchi carbonara. (Wang also makes a knife-cut noodle version, featuring flatter, linguine-style noodles that are made to be used for kalguksu, but are as equally versatile as the udon variety.)
Once you’re comfortable cooking with them, try them in jjajangmyun. Just pick up a package of powdered jjajang sauce at the store; cook with some ground pork and chopped onion, zucchini, and potato; and bam! You’ve got your next favorite family weeknight meal.
Find it in stores: Wang Korean Fresh Udon Noodle, $5.99 for 2.2 pounds at H Mart or buy them online for slightly more ($7.99)
What dinner staple are you regularly buying at H Mart? Tell us about it in the comments below.