Japchae (Korean Glass Noodle Stir-Fry) Recipe

 

Japchae is a classic Korean dish featuring stir-fried glass noodles mixed with a variety of vegetables and proteins. This recipe ensures that the noodles remain tender and flavorful without becoming mushy, making it perfect for special occasions or everyday meals.

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Ingredients

For the Japchae:

• 300g sweet potato starch noodles (dangmyeon)
• 300g pork, thinly sliced
• 3 dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked and sliced
• 1/2 bunch spinach
• 1/2 carrot, julienned
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
• 3 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

For the Meat Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cooking wine
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• A pinch of black pepper

For the Japchae Sauce:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons oligosaccharide or corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• A pinch of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 cup water

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Ingredients

• Soak the sweet potato noodles in water for about 1 hour until softened.
• Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in water for 20 minutes, then slice them into bite-sized pieces.
• Julienne the carrot, bell peppers, and slice the onion and shiitake mushrooms.

2. Marinate the Meat

• In a bowl, combine the sliced pork with soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, minced garlic, sesame oil, and black pepper.
• Mix well and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes.

3. Blanch the Spinach

• Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt, and blanch the spinach briefly until wilted.
• Drain, rinse under cold water, squeeze out excess moisture, and season with a little salt and sesame oil.

4. Prepare the Japchae Sauce

• In a large bowl, mix together soy sauce, water, black pepper, oligosaccharide (or corn syrup), sugar, oyster sauce, and cooking oil until the sugar is dissolved.

5. Cook the Vegetables

• Heat a bit of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
• Stir-fry the onions, carrots, bell peppers, and wood ear mushrooms separately until just tender. Remove each vegetable from the pan after cooking and set aside.

6. Cook the Meat and Mushrooms

• In the same pan, stir-fry the marinated pork and shiitake mushrooms until the meat is cooked through.
• Remove from the pan and set aside.

7. Cook the Noodles

• In the same pan, pour in the japchae sauce and bring it to a boil.
• Add the soaked and drained noodles, and cook, stirring frequently, until the noodles absorb the sauce and become tender.
• If the noodles are too long, use kitchen scissors to cut them into manageable lengths.

8. Combine All Ingredients

• Once the noodles are cooked and have absorbed most of the sauce, return all the cooked vegetables, meat, and spinach to the pan.
• Toss everything together gently to combine.
• Drizzle with a bit of sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

9. Serve

• Transfer the japchae to a serving platter and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

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Tips

• To prevent the noodles from becoming mushy, avoid over-soaking them and ensure they are cooked just until tender.
• Adjust the sweetness and saltiness of the japchae sauce according to your taste preference.
• Feel free to substitute or add other vegetables such as bell peppers, zucchini, or cabbage.

Enjoy this flavorful and colorful Korean dish that is sure to delight your taste buds! 🍽✨