Vegetable Japchae
Servings: 12 (may vary based on portion sizes)
Ingredients:
- 300 g of glass noodles
- 2 handfuls of spinach (green bell pepper can be used as a substitute) : A pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds.
- 2/3 each of yellow and red bell peppers
- 3 shiitake mushrooms
- 12 g of dried wood ear mushrooms
- A handful of carrots
- Half an onion
Sauce:
- 40 g (5 tablespoons) of vegetable oil
- 96 g (12 tablespoons) of soy sauce
- 225 g (15 tablespoons) of corn syrup
- 24 g (3 tablespoons) of sesame oil (to finish)
- 10 g (2-3 tablespoons) of sesame seeds (to finish)
Preparation Tips:
- Spinach can be substituted with sautéed green bell pepper.
- Be cautious not to over-salt when stir-frying vegetables as they can become too salty.
- The sauce is cooked for a total of 4 minutes. If it cooks for too long, it can harden like caramel, so be careful!
- Rinse the glass noodles and drain them well.
- Add the noodles to the sauce and cook for a total of 7 minutes and 20 seconds on high heat (timing may vary as the intensity of the heat can differ in each home).
Preparation Method:
- Soak the shiitake and wood ear mushrooms in warm water until they rehydrate, then slice them thinly.
- Julienne the carrots and thinly slice the bell peppers and onion.
- Blanch the spinach in boiling water with a pinch of salt, then drain and mix with a tablespoon of sesame oil and sesame seeds. If using green pepper instead of spinach, sauté lightly with a little oil.
- Cook the glass noodles in boiling water according to the package instructions, then drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside to drain thoroughly.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a pan or wok and stir-fry the carrots, bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Season lightly with salt as the soy sauce will also add saltiness.
- In a saucepan, combine the soy sauce, corn syrup, and 3 tablespoons of sesame oil. Bring to a simmer for 4 minutes, watching carefully to ensure it doesn’t thicken too much.
- Combine the noodles with the vegetables and pour the sauce over them. Stir everything together on high heat for 7 minutes and 20 seconds to allow the flavors to meld.
- Once cooked, finish by drizzling the remaining sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Serving: Serve the Japchae warm or at room temperature. It’s a dish that’s as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate, with its blend of colors, textures, and flavors. Enjoy your homemade Japchae!