Japchae is a light noodle meal seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar that is ideal for lunch or dinner when you’re in the mood for something filling but not too heavy or have had enough of salads.
You would be winning at life if you packed up some of these noodles in a few containers and took them with you on a trip to the beach or a picnic. This japchae dish is long delayed, as many of you have asked for it, so here it is!
WHAT IS JAPCHAE?
Japchae is a straightforward Korean noodle meal that packs a rainbow of vegetables and a touch of flank beef into every bowl.
Glass noodles manufactured from Korean potato starch are used to prepare japchae; these noodles are unexpectedly light and gluten-free.
This Japchae recipe requires a fair amount of chopping, but like many of our favorite Chinese meals, it’s relatively simple to make once you get over the initial preparation.
You should just make a huge batch as I did. Cold or reheated, these noodles still taste wonderful.
INGREDIENTS:
- 10 ounces of 280g dangmyeon
- 6 ounces of flank steak (cut into thin strips)
- 4 ounces of baby spinach
- 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms (cut into thin strips)
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 3 thinly sliced scallions (cut into 3-inch sections)
- 2 julienned carrots
- 1 small red bell pepper (cut into thin strips)
- 1 onion, sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds
- 4½ tablespoons of soy sauce
- 6 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
- ¾ teaspoon of black pepper
- vegetable oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine the beef with a single garlic clove, a teaspoon of sugar, a quarter teaspoon of ground black pepper, a tablespoon of soy sauce, and a teaspoon of sesame oil.
- Cook and set aside the vegetables. Put the noodles in a big pot of boiling water and let them sit there for 7 minutes. Cut them down to size by straining and using scissors.
- Stir in the soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil for a total of 2 tablespoons. Carefully toss the items.
- Prepare a medium-high flame in a skillet. Use 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to stir-fry the onion and carrot until they are cooked but still have a little bite. Place in a large bowl for blending. The mushrooms should be added to the pan after adding another tablespoon of oil.
- Caramelize the onion and carrot, then add them to a large mixing basin. The red peppers should be cooked in one more tablespoon of oil until they are soft.
- Mix in the remaining garlic, spinach, and scallions. Stir-fry everything together until the spinach and scallions are wilted. Put in the bowl with the rest of the vegetables.
- Get the pan really hot, then throw in the beef. To ensure the steak is cooked, stir-fry it for a few minutes. Place the noodles and beef in a mixing dish and add the sesame seeds.
- Into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients, sprinkle 3 teaspoons of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of powdered black pepper, 2 1/2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
- Combine all of the ingredients by tossing them together, then serve.