Japchae Food

JAPCHAE

Steps:

• For the beef: Cut the beef against the grain into slices about 1/4-inch thick and 2 inches long. Place in a medium bowl with the soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, sugar and a few turns of freshly ground pepper. Mix until the meat is completely coated and set aside.
• For the onions: Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring constantly, until just tender with a little bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and set aside; reserve the skillet.
• For the bell peppers: Wipe the skillet clean, add the vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and cook, stirring constantly, until just tender and beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and set aside; reserve the skillet.
• For the carrots: Wipe the skillet clean, add the vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook, stirring constantly, until just tender, but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and set aside; reserve the skillet.
• For the eggs: Whisk together the eggs and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until incorporated. Wipe the skillet clean. Add the vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Pour in the eggs and and swirl the pan until the mixture covers the entire surface area. Cook until the eggs are set on the bottom, about 1 minute. Flip carefully to keep the egg crepe in one piece and cook 1 minute more. Slide onto a plate or cutting board to cool, then cut the crepe into 4 equal strips horizontally. Layer all the strips together and cut into 1/4-inch strips, then set aside; reserve the skillet.
• For the mushrooms: Wipe the skillet clean, add the vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, 6 to 7 minutes, stirring halfway through. Transfer the mushrooms to a medium bowl. Add the soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil, mix well and set aside; reserve the skillet.
• For the spinach: Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat and prepare an ice water bath. Add the spinach to the boiling water and blanch until it turns bright green, about 30 seconds. Remove the spinach with tongs or hand-held strainer and transfer to the ice bath immediately; reserve the pot and water. Once the spinach is completely cooled, remove it and squeeze dry. Cut the spinach into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the sesame oil, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well and set aside.
• For the japchae: Bring the pot of water back to the boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring constantly to ensure the noodles don't stick on bottom of the pot, until noodles become mostly clear but are still opaque in the center and bend over the handle of a large wooden spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. (At this point, the noodles aren't cooked through all the way.)
• Drain in a strainer and rinse under cold running water, rubbing the noodles between your fingers and gently massaging them in the water. Drain and then rinse again, repeating 2 more times to remove any excess starch. Set aside in the strainer and allow to drain well.
• Wipe the skillet clean. Add the 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the marinated beef and cook, stirring often, until browned (being careful not to burn the garlic), 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside; reserve the skillet.
• Wipe the skillet clean. Add the 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the drained noodles and cook, stirring and mixing constantly with tongs, until there is a slight cooked smell of starch, the noodles are completely coated in oil and any moisture is cooked off, 6 to 7 minutes. (You'll hear a lot of sizzling sounds starting around the 2 minute mark; that's fine.)
• Add the soy sauce, reduce the heat to low, and loosen the noodles back up again for 1 to 2 minutes; they will turn golden brown from the soy sauce. Once all the soy sauce has absorbed, transfer the noodles to a large mixing bowl. Immediately add the sesame oil, sugar and rice syrup and toss until incorporated and the sugar has melted.
• Add the cooked onions, peppers, carrots, mushrooms, spinach and beef and toss until thoroughly mixed. Add the eggs and gently toss again (try to avoid breaking the strips). Transfer the japchae to a large serving bowl and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold (see Cook's Note).

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.

JAPCHAE

Steps:

• Whisk soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and garlic in a bowl until sugar is dissolved into sauce.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook sweet potato noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 6 to 7 minutes. Rinse noodles under cold water and drain. Transfer noodles to a bowl, add 2 tablespoons sauce, and toss to coat.
• Squeeze beef under running water until juices run clear. Mix beef and 1 tablespoon sauce together in a bowl.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook spinach in the boiling water until just wilted, about 1 minute. Drain quickly and transfer spinach to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Squeeze excess water from spinach, place spinach in a large bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook onion until fragrant but crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer onion to the bowl with spinach. Heat another 1 teaspoon oil in the same skillet. Cook mushrooms in the hot oil until lightly browned but still firm, 1 to 2 minutes; add to onion mixture. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the same skillet. Cook carrot in the hot oil until lightly browned but still crisp, 1 to 2 minutes; add to onion mixture.
• Cook and stir beef in the same skillet until browned, 1 to 2 minutes; add to onion mixture. Cook and stir noodles in the same skillet until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes; add to beef-onion mixture. Add remaining sauce to beef-noodles mixture and toss to coat using your hands.

KOREAN SWEET POTATO NOODLES (JAPCHAE)

Steps:

• Combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, mirin, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, garlic, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Add steak; stir to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
• Combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, honey, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 1 pinch pepper in a large bowl; stir sauce well.
• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rolling boil; stir in noodles and return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain. Add noodles to sauce; toss to coat.
• Whisk egg in a bowl. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat; pour in egg. Cook until firm, about 1 minute per side. Slice into strips.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spinach and cook, uncovered, until just bright green, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrot and onion; saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in steak and marinade; cook until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in spinach. Add noodles and egg; cook and stir until well combined and heated through, about 2 minutes.

JAPCHAE (KOREAN SWEET POTATO NOODLES WITH EGG & VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Soak the shiitake and wood ear mushrooms in cold water for 2 hours, and up to overnight. Soak the noodles in hot water for 30 minutes.
• Drain the shiitake and wood ear mushrooms. Squeeze the water from the shiitakes, and then thickly slice. Tear the wood ear mushrooms into pieces. Cut the king oyster mushrooms into 1/4-inch planks, and then 1/4-inch slices. Halve the onion, remove the root end, and slice with the grain. Cut the bell peppers into 1/4-inch slices. Grate the carrots on a mandoline using the 1/4-inch coarse-toothed blade. Cut the chives into 2-inch lengths. Keep all the vegetables in separate piles on a platter and place near the stove.
• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the king oyster mushrooms, onions, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring with tongs, until softened, for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the pan to a large bowl or platter. Add 2 more tablespoons of the grapeseed oil to the pan, and then the yellow and orange peppers and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the pan to the bowl. Add 1 more tablespoon of the grapeseed oil to the pan, and then the red peppers, carrots, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and cook, stirring, until softened, for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pan to the bowl. Add 1 more tablespoon of the grapeseed oil to the pan, and then the shiitake and wood ear mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring, until softened, for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pan to the bowl. Add 3 more tablespoons of the grapeseed oil to the pan, and then the chives and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring, until limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan to the bowl.
• Add the noodles to the boiling water and boil until they turn clear and soften, about 3 minutes. Drain.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of the grapeseed oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the egg whites and tilt and swirl the pan so they cover the bottom in an even layer. Turn the heat to low and cook until the whites set, for 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 30 seconds on the other side. Remove to a cutting board. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil to the pan and put over medium-high heat. Add the egg yolks and tilt and swirl the pan so they cover the bottom in an even layer. Cook until the yolks are set, for 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 minute on the other side. Remove to a cutting board. Fold each egg pancake into thirds and slice into very thin strips.
• Toss the hot noodles with tongs in a large mixing bowl with the sesame oil. Drizzle in the soy sauce and toss, coating the noodles well. Scatter in the garlic and mix well. Then add all the vegetables and mix with the tongs (or your hands if not too hot) to really get the vegetables and noodles integrated. Sprinkle in the scallions, honey, and sesame seeds and toss well. Transfer to a serving bowl and scatter the egg slices on top.

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~!