Festive Japchae: A Crowd-Pleasing Korean Noodle Dish
Festive Japchae: A Crowd-Pleasing Korean Noodle Dish
Celebrate with Every Bite: The Ultimate Japchae Recipe from Sumi’s Kitchen
No Korean celebration is complete without Japchae! This recipe from Sumi’s Kitchen guarantees a delicious and satisfying dish that’s surprisingly easy to make.
Main Ingredients- 4 servings Glass Noodles (Japchae noodles, approx. 300-350g)
- 150g Beef for Japchae, thinly sliced
- 100g Spinach
- 4 dried Wood Ear Mushrooms
- 4 dried Shiitake Mushrooms
- 1/2 Onion
- 1/3 Carrot
- 1 Green Onion (Scallion)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare all the vegetables. First, thinly slice the onion. Slicing the vegetables thinly will result in a softer texture and allow them to absorb the flavors better.
Step 2
Next, thinly slice the carrot to a similar thickness as the onion.
Step 3
Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in lukewarm water until softened. Trim off any tough, woody parts, wash them thoroughly, and then slice them into thin strips.
Step 4
Similarly, soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in lukewarm water until softened. Remove the tough stems, wash them, and slice them into thin strips, trying to maintain their shape.
Step 5
Thinly slice the green onion lengthwise, focusing on the white parts. The green parts can have a stronger flavor, so using mostly the white parts is recommended.
Step 6
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Blanch the spinach for just 10 seconds. Be careful not to overcook it, as it will become mushy.
Step 7
Immediately transfer the blanched spinach to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. This helps retain its crispness.
Step 8
Once cooled, gently squeeze out as much water as possible from the spinach. Then, separate the spinach strands so they are not clumped together.
Step 9
In a bowl, combine the drained spinach with 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Gently massage the ingredients together. Seasoning the spinach separately enhances the overall flavor of the Japchae.
Step 10
Pat the beef dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. In a bowl, combine the beef with the marinade ingredients (1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 4 tsp sugar, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper). Mix well and let it marinate for about 10 minutes. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat (no oil needed initially) and add the marinated beef. Stir-fry until the beef is cooked through and has released its juices; this ensures the beef remains tender and flavorful.
Step 11
Once the beef is cooked, remove it from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the thinly sliced carrots and stir-fry them in the beef drippings. The residual flavors from the beef will add extra taste to the carrots.
Step 12
When the carrots are slightly tender, add the sliced wood ear mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms to the pan. Continue to stir-fry until the mushrooms are cooked and fragrant.
Step 13
In a separate pan, heat a little perilla oil (or sesame oil) and stir-fry the sliced onions until they become translucent and slightly golden brown. The aroma of the perilla oil will infuse the onions, making them more delicious.
Step 14
Combine all the stir-fried vegetables (carrots, mushrooms, and onions) in a large bowl. Stir-frying each vegetable separately helps to preserve their individual textures and flavors.
Step 15
Now, it’s time to cook the glass noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the glass noodles. Cook for about 6-8 minutes, or until they become transparent. Drain the noodles in a colander immediately after cooking; do not rinse them with cold water. (Tip: While the noodles are boiling, you can prepare the noodle seasoning sauce.)
Step 16
Prepare the noodle seasoning sauce: In a bowl, whisk together 2.5 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil. This sauce will be mixed with the noodles to season them.
Step 17
In a large bowl, add the drained, cooked glass noodles and the prepared noodle seasoning sauce. Drizzle generously with sesame oil. Gently toss and mix with your hands, ensuring the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce. This step is crucial for flavorful noodles.
Step 18
Add the separately seasoned spinach to the noodles and gently mix it in.
Step 19
Add the thinly sliced green onions and mix them lightly into the noodle mixture.
Step 20
Add the stir-fried vegetables (carrots, mushrooms, onions) and the marinated beef to the noodle mixture. Gently toss everything together until well combined. Using a large bowl makes mixing easier.
Step 21
Finally, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of sesame oil and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds. Give it a final gentle toss. Your delicious Japchae is ready to serve! You can add a little more black pepper to taste if desired.
