Japchae Korean Glass Noodles Food

JAPCHAE KOREAN STIR FRIED GLASS NOODLES

Steps:

• Soak 4 medium sized dried shiitake mushrooms 4-6 hours before cooking. Or, until it's soft. I usually soak the dried mushrooms the night before I use it.
• Then, soak a bunch of spinach (around 10 oz) for 15 minutes. Then, wash it a few times (3 times) to remove dirt and sand.
• Soak 1 pound (16 oz) of Korean glass noodles into the water for 30 minutes.
• Next, peel, wash and cut a medium sized onion into slices.
• Wash and cut 3 sticks of green onions into strips.
• Peel, wash and cut 2 small medium sized carrots into strips.
• After that, wash and cut one large sized red bell pepper into strips.
• When the mushrooms are soft, cut the soaked mushrooms into strips.
• The following, cut ½ pound of beef (steak style) into strips.
• After, put the sliced beef into the bowl, add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and ½ tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix it well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes before cooking.
• Crack 2 eggs into the bowl and beat the eggs.
• Pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan. Then, pour the beaten eggs and pan fry like scramble eggs but make sure it's flat like a sheet. After that, flip the other side.
• When the pan fry eggs cool off, cut it into strips.
• Pour 6 cups of water into the pot. When the water is boiling, add washed spinach and boil for around 2-3 minutes.
• After that, drain water and rinse with cold water.
• Then, squeeze the cooked spinach to remove excess water. Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Mix it well and set it aside.
• Pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan, turn the fire to medium high. Add cut onion and sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon of salt, stir fry it for a few minutes, cover the lid, until it's soft and set it aside.
• Next, pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan, turn the fire to medium high. Add cut carrots and sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon of salt, stir fry it for a few minutes, cover the lid and until it's soft. Then, set it aside.
• Pour ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan, turn the fire to medium high. Add cut red bell pepper and sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon of salt, stir fry it for 1-2 minutes. Then, set it aside.
• The next step, pour ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan, add the cut green onion and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Stir fry it a little bit and set it aside. (Remember don't over stir fry the green onion.)
• Turn on the fire to medium high, add the marinated beef into the non-stick pan.
• Then, add the sliced mushrooms, cover the lid for a minute and stir-fry them until the beef is cooked. (If sauce comes out from the meat and mushroom. Don't discard them, add to the noodles later.)
• Now, meat, egg and vegetables are ready.
• Meanwhile, pour 10 cups of water into the pot. When the water is boiling, add the soaked Korean glass noodles. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes, until it is soft and drain the water.
• In a mixing bowl, put the cooked glass noodles. Also, use a scissor to cut the noodles a few times, so the noodles won't be too long.
• Add 4 tablespoons of soy sauce and 4 tablespoons of sesame oil. Then, mix it well. (You can add more or less soy sauce and sesame oil to your taste).
• After seasoning the cooked glass noodles, add all the cooked vegetables, eggs and beef from step 23 into the noodles.
• Mix the noodles with the cooked vegetables, meat and eggs.
• You can sprinkle some roasted sesame seeds. (This is optional.)

JAPCHAE (STIR-FRIED STARCH NOODLES WITH BEEF AND VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Clean all the ingredients. Cut the carrot into matchsticks. Thinly slice the onion. Run the knife through the white parts of the scallions lengthwise, if thick, and then cut into about 2-inch long pieces. Remove the stems from the mushrooms, and slice into 1/4-inch thin strips. Cut the meat into thin 2-inch long strips.
• Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well until the sugar is dissolved.
• In a large non-stick pan (see note 2), bring about 5 cups of water to a boil, and cook the noodles until completely translucent and soft (6 to 8 minutes). Drain in a strainer and rinse under cold running water. Drain well. Roughly cut the noodles with a pair of kitchen shears or a knife into 6 -7 inch lengths. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Mix well with 3 tablespoons of the prepared sauce.
• Fill the same pan with 2 cups of water. When water boils, blanch the spinach only until wilted. Drain quickly and shock in cold water. Squeeze out water, run a knife through the squeezed spinach a couple of times, and lightly season with salt.
• Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, and stir fry the noodles over medium to medium high heat, stirring frequently, until translucent and a bit sticky (about 4 minutes). Transfer back to the mixing bowl.
• Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the pan, and stir fry the carrot over medium high heat, sprinkling with a pinch of salt. When the carrot sticks are half way cooked, about a minute, push them to one side of the pan to make room for the onion slices. Stir-fry the onion slices until translucent, sprinkling with a pinch of salt. Stir-in the scallion and cook briefly. Do not overcook. The vegetables should be crisp. Transfer to the bowl with the noodles.
• Add the beef and mushrooms along with 2 tablespoons of the prepared sauce and cook until the meat is cooked through, 2 - 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the noodles.
• Add the spinach and the remaining sauce to the bowl with all other prepared ingredients. Toss well by hand. Adjust the seasoning to taste by adding a little more (start with 1/2 teaspoon) soy sauce and/or sugar as necessary.

KOREAN GLASS NOODLES (JAP CHAE)

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil; stir in vermicelli pasta and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender yet firm to the bite, about 5 minutes. Drain and return to the pot; toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Use kitchen shears to cut noodles into approximately 8-inch lengths. Set noodles aside.
• Mix soy sauce and sugar together in a bowl. Heat oil in a large saute pan or wok over high heat and swirl to coat. Add carrots and onions to the hot oil and fry until just softened, about 1 minute. Add garlic, scallions, and mushrooms and fry for 30 seconds more. Add spinach, soy sauce mixture, and cooked noodles. Fry until noodles are warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with sesame seeds and remaining sesame oil.

JAP CHAE KOREAN GLASS NOODLES

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the dang myun noodles, and return to a boil. Cook the noodles uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the noodles have cooked through, but are still firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain well in a colander set in the sink. Toss noodles with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Set aside. Whisk soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic, onion, carrots, and asparagus; cook and stir until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in green onions and shiitake mushrooms and continue cooking and stirring for 30 seconds. Pour in the soy sauce mixture, then add the noodles. Cook and stir until the noodles are warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with sesame seeds and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil.

VEGETARIAN JAP CHAE (KOREAN GLASS NOODLE STIR-FRY)

Steps:

• Boil one bundle of noodles for 5 minutes until softened and al dente in texture. Drain the noodles but do not rinse. Add noodles to a large bowl and cut them three times with kitchen scissors.
• Add 2 tablespoons EACH of soy sauce and sesame seed oil. Toss noodles until sauce is evenly distributed and set aside.
• Using the same pot as the noodles, add enough water to boil spinach for 1 minute. Remove spinach from water and allow to cool just enough to squeeze as much water out as possible. Cut spinach in thirds, and rub 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper into the spinach. Add spinach to the noodle filled bowl.
• Heat a wok or large frying pan on high. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and cook sliced onions for 2 minutes stirring them as they start to turn translucent. Season with a 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil and a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper.
• Add onions to the bowl of noodles. Repeat the same process as the onions except reduce cooking times to 30 seconds for the carrots, 2 minutes for the bell red pepper, 1 minute for the shiitake mushrooms, and 10 seconds for the green onions. Fry tofu squares for 1 minute per side; but do not add tofu to the large bowl of noodles.
• Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and ½ teaspoon of ground pepper to the noodle bowl and toss everything until well mixed.
• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the hot wok or skillet and add minced garlic. Allow garlic to cook for a few seconds and add the entire bowl of mixed noodles and vegetables to the wok(or pan).
• Stir-fry everything for 2-3 minutes and turn off heat. Gently add tofu and transfer noodles to a large serving platter.
• Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top.
• Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!.

SPRING VEGETABLE JAPCHAE (KOREAN GLASS NOODLES)

Steps:

• Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, garlic, sugar, sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles until tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Add half of the sauce (about 3 tablespoons) and toss to evenly coat.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons safflower oil over medium. Add onion and carrots, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Add mushrooms and half the remaining sauce (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the noodles.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon safflower oil and the bell pepper to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add snap peas and asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach to the skillet and stir until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture into the bowl with the noodles. Add the remaining sauce and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide japchae among bowls and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve warm or at room temperature.