Japchae Korean Stir Fried Noodles Food

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 STIR-FRIED NOODLES (JAP CHAE OR CHAP CHAE)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil until it shimmers.
• Add onion slices and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the spinach, carrots, scallions, napa cabbage, and mushrooms and sauté until half cooked and still a bit crunchy, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn the heat to low and add cooked noodles, soy sauce , sugar, and the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil.
• Sauté continuously until the mixture is well combined, about 2 minutes more.
• Adjust to taste with more salt or soy sauce, if needed.
• Garnish with the sesame seeds , if using, and serve immediately.

JAPCHAE (KOREAN STIR FRIED NOODLES)

Steps:

• Soak 5 dried shitake mushrooms in warm water for a few hours until they become soft. Squeeze the water out of them and slice thinly.
• Boil 2 bunches of noodles in boiling water in a big pot for about 3 minutes. When the noodles are soft, drain them and put in a large bowl.
• Cut the noodles several times by using scissors and add 1 tbs of soy sauce and 1 tbs of sesame oil. Mix it up and set aside.
• *tip: Take one sample and taste it to see whether or not it's cooked properly. If it feels soft, it's finished.
• In the boiling water, add a bunch of spinach and stir it gently for 1 minute. Then take it out and rinse it in cold water 3 times. Remove any grit or dead leaves thoroughly while rinsing. Squeeze it gently to get the water out, then cut it into 5 cm pieces. Add ½ tbs soy sauce and ½ tbs sesame oil and mix it and place it onto the large bowl.
• *tip: When you drain the hot water from the pot, don't discard the hot water. Put it back into the pot so you can cook your spinach quickly.
• On a heated pan, put a few drops of olive oil and your carrot strips and stir it with a spatula for 30 seconds. Put it into the large bowl (don't burn it!).
• Place a few drops of olive oil on the pan and add your sliced onion. Stir it until the onion looks translucent. Put it into the large bowl with your carrots.
• Place a few drops of olive oil on the pan and add the sliced white mushrooms. Stir it for a bit and then put it in the large bowl.
• Place a few drops of olive oil on the pan and add your green onions. Stir for 1 minute and put it into the large bowl.
• Place a few drops of olive oil on the pan and add your beef strips (optional) and your sliced shitake mushrooms. Stir it until it's cooked well, then add 3 cloves of minced garlic, ½ tbs soy sauce and ½ tbs sugar. Stir for another 30 seconds and then put it into the large bowl.
• Add 2 tbs of soy sauce, 3 tbs of sugar, 2 tbs of sesame oil, and 1 ts of ground pepper to the large bowl. Mix all ingredients, then sprinkle 1 tbs of toasted sesame seeds on the top.

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!.