Spicy Fish Cake Japchae
Tired of the Same Old Japchae? Try This Spicy Fish Cake Japchae!
Life often gets hectic, with busy periods arriving all at once, making months and even years fly by in a blur. On the rare lucky days when a whole day opens up, I find myself heading to the grocery store, even if I don’t urgently need anything, using excuses like running out of corn syrup. Wandering slowly through the aisles of the supermarket is a delightful pastime; time just seems to vanish. If I see an ingredient I haven’t used often and it looks particularly fresh, I’ll stand there for a long time, contemplating what I could possibly make with it. I often end up buying things I already have plenty of at home because I’m unsure of my current stock. Spotted the square fish cakes I love to use for stew, so I picked one up, and then, because they were on sale, I grabbed some baby octopus dumplings. Since the supermarket is far from home, I also made sure to stock up on bean sprouts, and before I knew it, my cart was full, even though I hadn’t really needed much. By the time I’m leaving, I’ve completely forgotten about the corn syrup I initially went for.
But my fun at the Korean mart wasn’t quite over! Like a familiar haunt, I peeked into the Chinese mart. When we lived in China, my daughter used to love eating Suan La Fen, and the thick, wide glass noodles used in it always left an impression. Today, I decided to buy a bag for myself. On the drive home, I started envisioning dishes I could create, thoroughly enjoying my day.
Main Ingredients
- 200g thick glass noodles
- 2 sheets of fish cake
- 1/4 red bell pepper
- 1 green chili pepper
- Approx. 15 dried chili peppers (spicy)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 3 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1/4 yellow bell pepper
Seasoning Sauce
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1.5 Tbsp sugar
- 0.5 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1.5 Tbsp sugar
- 0.5 Tbsp oyster sauce
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Soak the thick glass noodles in water for at least 2 hours until fully softened. This soaking process ensures they become tender yet chewy.
Step 2
2. Thinly slice the red and yellow bell peppers and the green chili pepper. Prepare the seasoning sauce by mixing the soy sauce, sugar, and oyster sauce in a small bowl.
Step 3
3. Cut the fish cakes into strips, similar in thickness to the glass noodles. Briefly blanch the cut fish cakes in boiling water (like a quick rinse) to remove any impurities and enhance their texture.
Step 4
4. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the soaked glass noodles, 1 Tbsp of soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp of cooking oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the noodles are tender but still have a slight bite. Be careful not to overcook them.
Step 5
5. Immediately drain the cooked noodles and rinse them under cold running water to stop the cooking process and maintain their chewy texture. Drain them well.
Step 6
6. Heat 2 Tbsp of cooking oil in a wok or large pan over medium-low heat. Add the dried chili peppers and press them down gently with a spatula to help release their spicy essence into the oil. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, infusing the oil with a pleasant heat.
Step 7
7. Carefully strain the chili-infused oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate bowl, discarding the dried chilies. Pour the flavorful, spicy oil back into the pan.
Step 8
8. Add the minced garlic to the pan with the infused oil. Sauté over medium-low heat until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
Step 9
9. Add the drained glass noodles, blanched fish cakes, and the prepared seasoning sauce to the pan. Stir-fry over medium-high heat, tossing everything together until the noodles and fish cakes are well coated with the sauce and the flavors have melded. Cook quickly to prevent sticking.
Step 10
10. Toss in the sliced bell peppers and green chili pepper. Continue to stir-fry for about 1 more minute, just until the vegetables are slightly tender but still retain a pleasant crispness.
Step 11
11. Turn off the heat. Stir in the honey, sesame oil, and a pinch of black pepper. Give everything a final mix to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious spicy fish cake japchae!
