Glass Noodles with Beef & Vegetables Japchae

This is without a doubt one of the most popular noodle dishes in Korea. It is healthy and incredibly delicious because the noodles soak up all the wonderful flavors of the soy sauce and sesame oil. Traditionally, this dish is eaten on holidays and at special occasions, but these days it is also on the menu at almost every Korean restaurant.

The Korean glass noodles used in this recipe are made from sweet potato and have a fantastic texture. They are definitely preferred here, but the glass noodles you can buy at your local supermarket are also fine.

Method

Mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, pepper and garlic in a bowl. In another bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of this sauce with the beef. Leave the meat to marinate for at least 15 minutes. Set the rest of the sauce aside.

Meanwhile, put some sunflower oil in a frying pan and heat it over medium heat. Fry the beaten egg for a few minutes on each side until you have a firm, not-too-dark omelet. Remove the omelet from the pan, let it cool and cut it into 3 equal-sized pieces. Stack the pieces and cut them into thin strips. Set the omelet strips aside.

Vegetables

Wash the spinach and put it with the water clinging to it in a large pan over high heat. Let the spinach wilt for a few minutes, stirring it occasionally. Put the spinach in a sieve and gently press out as much moisture as possible. Place the still-warm spinach on a plate and season it with ½ teaspoon sesame oil and ½ teaspoon soy sauce. Set the spinach aside.

Put 1 tablespoon sunflower oil in the same pan and stir-fry the shiitakes, carrot and onion over high heat for 3–4 minutes, until softened but not yet browned. Remove the pan from the heat and season the vegetables with 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Finally, put the beef in the pan and stir-fry it over high heat for 2–3 minutes, until cooked through.

The Noodles

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the noodles and cook for 7–8 minutes until tender. Drain them, return them to the pan and add the reserved sauce. Stir-fry the noodles for 2 minutes until they have absorbed all the sauce. Turn off the heat and gently toss all the vegetables, the beef and half of the omelet strips through the noodles. Divide the noodles among bowls and garnish each bowl with some omelet strips. Finally, sprinkle with some sesame seeds and, if desired, some chili pepper. Serve immediately.

Also read our book review of Our Korean Kitchen.

Our Korean Kitchen
Jordan Bourke & Rejina Pyo
€ 24,99
Karakter Publishing

Image: Our Korean Kitchen