Aunt Claires Chop Chae Jop Chae Food

CHOP CHAE (KOREAN MIXED VEGETABLES WITH BEEF AND NOODLES)

Steps:

• Soak mushrooms in cold water for 20 minutes. Drain and cut into thin strips.
• Cook noodles in boiling water for 10 minutes.
• Drain and rinse in cold water, then cut into 4-5" length.
• Mix sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, 2 teaspoons, sesame seeds, rice wine, garlic, and pepper in a bowl.
• Add half of mixture to sirloin in another bowl; mix and set aside.
• Reserve other half of sauce.
• Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in skillet or wok over medium-high heat and saute cabbage, onion, carrot, and onions stirring frequently for about 10 minutes.
• Add spinach and saute for 1 additional minute.
• Add mushrooms and noodles and remove from heat.
• Mix well and put in serving bowl; set aside.
• Heat remaining canola oil in skillet, add sirloin and cook until done.
• Add to vegetables and noodles.
• Add reserved sauce and mix well.
• Serve.

KOREAN GAJI NAMUL (KOREAN EGGPLANT SIDE DISH)

Steps:

• Cut the eggplants into 2 or 3 pieces sections. Then cut each piece in half lengthwise. Pour 2 cups of water into a steamer bottom, and place the pieces of eggplant on top in the steamer basket. Bring the water to a boil and steam for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and remove the cooked eggplant to a bowl. Set it aside to cool down. After the eggplant has cooled, drain the liquid from the bottom pot. Tear each piece of eggplant lengthwise with your fingers, and put the strips into a large bowl.
• Mix the rest of ingredient in with the eggplant and combine well. Set aside until ready to serve. Serve as a side dish with your favorite Korean meal.

JAPCHAE KOREAN NOODLE WITH VEGETABLE

Steps:

• Note: Noodles should be (2) 3" bundles of Dangmyun, Korean potato starch noodle. This is the only noodle that should be used for the dish, they are translucent gray color and are hard.
• 1. Boil a large pot of water and drop the dangmyun in for 3-4 minutes (Test before removing; noodle should be soft but still chewy).
• 2. Strain noodles, reserving hot water to be put back in pot. Rinse noodles with cold water and put in large bowl #1. Cut noodles with scissors so they are more manageable. Add mixture of 1T sesame oil, 1T soy sauce and 1T corn syrup. Mix well. (I always just use my hands. Messy, but the noodles are slippery and it coats them the best).
• 3. Return water in pot to a boil. Drop in entire bag of spinach, boil for one minute only. Remove, strain and squeeze out all water with hands. Place spinach in large bowl #2 along with 1/2T sesame oil and 1/2T soy sauce.
• 4. Meanwhile in a pan, heat olive oil (not sesame oil!) and stirfry veggies one at a time in the following order: carrot, onion, mushroom, then green onion. Be sure to cook just to crisp tender and don't let them burn. After each is done, put them in bowl #2 with the spinach. Stir after each addition.
• 5. If you choose to add meat (traditionally beef), you should slice it very thinly and stir fry it with a little soy sauce, sugar, and garlic to taste. Add it to bowl #2.
• 6. Pour noodles into bowl #2 with the veggies and mix.
• 7. Make a mixture of 4T soy sauce, 4T sugar, 2T sesame oil, and 2t pepper. Stir well, and pour immediately over the noodles. Mix well with your hand or tongs until all the noodles take on a uniform color.
• 8. Make sure to taste along the way, and make adjustments accordingly. Hope you enjoy~!

KOREAN-STYLE NOODLES WITH VEGETABLES (CHAP CHAE)

Steps:

• Soak noodles in a bowl of warm water to cover until softened, about 10 minutes, then drain in a colander. Cook noodles in a 3- to 4-quart pot of boiling water until tender, about 2 minutes, then drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool.
• Blend tamari, sesame oil, sugar, and garlic in a blender until smooth.
• Heat safflower oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke, then stir-fry onion and carrots until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir-fry until softened, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and stir-fry 30 seconds, then add noodles and tamari mixture and toss to coat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a shallow serving dish and serve warm or at room temperature.
• Chap chae can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.