Kimchi pork jowl pasta is what happens when Korean pantry staples meet Italian technique. The funky tang of aged kimchi, the richness of slowly rendered pork jowl, and the sweetness of tomato paste come together in a glossy, deeply savoury sauce that clings to every strand of noodle. This is not fusion for the sake of it — it genuinely works.

Ingredients

  • 300g pork jowl
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup kimchi, chopped
  • 1 tbsp gochugaru
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 300ml water
  • 1 tsp MSG or chicken stock
  • Flat glass noodles (or mee hoon kueh noodles)
  • 1 tbsp allulose (or sugar)
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Parsley (optional)
  • Parmesan (optional)

Singapore Swap

  • Pork jowl: Ask for pork cheek or jowl at wet markets (Tekka, Tiong Bahru). Some FairPrice Finest outlets stock it, or substitute with pork collar for a similar fat-to-meat ratio.
  • Kimchi: Korean marts on Tanjong Pagar sell fresh and aged kimchi. For this recipe, aged (sour) kimchi works best. Don Don Donki stocks pre-packed kimchi in the fridge section.
  • Flat glass noodles / mee hoon kueh: Flat glass noodles are at FairPrice or Korean marts. Mee hoon kueh (hand-torn noodle sheets) can be found fresh at wet market noodle stalls — a brilliant local swap.
  • Allulose: Available at iHerb or health food stores on Shopee/Lazada. Regular sugar works as a substitute.
  • Gochugaru and oyster sauce: Standard at any supermarket. Korean marts carry the best gochugaru.

Instructions

  1. Place the 300g pork jowl in a cold pan and render it slowly on low heat until golden and crispy. Do not add garlic.
  2. Remove the cooked pork jowl from the pan and set aside. Keep all the rendered pork fat in the pan.
  3. Add the tomato paste and chopped kimchi to the pork fat. Cook until the kimchi is caramelised and the tomato paste darkens.
  4. Add the gochugaru and oyster sauce to the pan. Stir and cook briefly to bloom the spices.
  5. Pour in 300ml of water and add the MSG or chicken stock. Stir to combine and let the sauce simmer.
  6. Cook the flat glass noodles (or mee hoon kueh) separately according to package directions. Drain.
  7. Add the allulose and butter to the simmering sauce. Stir until the butter melts and the sauce turns glossy.
  8. Lower the heat, add the cooked noodles to the pan, and return the crispy pork jowl. Toss everything together until the noodles are evenly coated and glossy.
  9. Finish with parsley and optional parmesan. Serve immediately.

Tips

  • Rendering the pork jowl slowly on low heat is critical — you want crispy meat and plenty of flavourful fat for the sauce base.
  • Do not add garlic during the pork rendering step. The kimchi and tomato paste provide all the aromatics you need.
  • Allulose adds sweetness without the heaviness of regular sugar, but plain sugar works perfectly fine as a substitute.