Japchae (잡채 - Glass Noodle Stir Fry)

Recipe & Instructions (US Units)

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Korean sweet potato starch noodles (dangmyeon)
• Sauce:
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Stir-fry Components:
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
  • 4 oz beef sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced (or shiitake mushrooms for vegetarian)
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • 4 oz spinach, blanched and squeezed dry
  • 3-4 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and thinly sliced (optional, if not using as main protein)
  • Optional: Red bell pepper, julienned; Wood ear mushrooms, sliced
• Garnish:
  • Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Cook Noodles: Cook sweet potato noodles in boiling water according to package directions (usually 6-8 minutes) until soft and chewy. Drain and rinse under cold water. Cut noodles into shorter lengths (about 6-8 inches) with kitchen shears. Toss with 1 tbsp of the sauce mixture to prevent sticking.
2. Prepare Sauce: Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and black pepper.
3. Cook Components Separately: Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir-fry beef (or main mushroom choice) until cooked; remove. Add another tsp oil, stir-fry onion until translucent; remove. Add remaining oil, stir-fry carrot (and bell pepper/other mushrooms if using) until tender-crisp; remove. Briefly sauté the blanched spinach and sliced rehydrated shiitakes.
4. Combine: Return noodles to the skillet/wok (or use a large bowl). Add all the cooked components (beef/mushrooms, vegetables, spinach).
5. Sauce and Toss: Pour the remaining sauce mixture over the noodles and vegetables. Toss everything together gently over low heat (or off heat in a bowl) until well combined and noodles are evenly coated. Avoid overcooking.
6. Serve: Transfer japchae to a serving platter. Garnish generously with toasted sesame seeds. Serve warm or at room temperature.

What Makes It Special:

Japchae is a popular dish for Korean holidays and celebrations, loved for its delightful chewy texture from the glass noodles and its colorful appearance. The savory and slightly sweet soy-sesame sauce perfectly coats the noodles and medley of stir-fried vegetables and protein. Though it involves several steps of preparing components separately, the final harmonious blend of flavors and textures makes it a crowd-pleasing favorite.