Vegetarian Jap Chae Korean Glass Noodle Stir Fry Food

VEGETARIAN JAPCHAE (KOREAN GLASS NOODLES)

Steps:

• Place the noodles in a large bowl (I use a large pot) and cover with cold water. You may need to weigh the noodles down with a lid. Let stand for 40 minutes.
• In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and pepper.
• In a large, wide heavy pot or sauté pan (I use my 5-qt Le Creuset braiser for this), combine the mushrooms, onion, carrot, and scallions. Season with a good pinch of kosher salt. Add the olive oil and 1/4 cup water, and toss with your hands to combine. Pile the spinach on top.
• Drain the noodles and, using scissors, cut them into 5- to 6-inch lengths. Place the noodles over the spinach. Give the sauce a stir and drizzle evenly over top.
• Cover the pan and set it on the stovetop. Turn heat to medium-high and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and give everything a stir.
• Add the sesame seeds and sesame oil and stir to combine. Serve immediately with hot sauce on the side if you wish.

VEGAN JAPCHAE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook sweet potato noodles following the directions on the package. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Add 1 tsp of sesame oil to coat the noodles, and then use scissors to cut the noodles (around 3-4 times). In the same pot, add in the spinach and blanch for 30 seconds. Rinse with cold water and squeeze the excess liquid out using a towel. Chop the bundled up spinach in half.
• Slice all the vegetables into match stick sized pieces. They should all be relatively the same size. Cut the tofu into thin rectangles.
• Put all the sauce ingredients into a small bowl and stir.
• In a large wok, over medium high heat fry the smoked tofu with a little bit of sesame oil just until lightly browned on each side. Transfer into another bowl and set aside.
• In the same wok, fry onions and garlic for 1 minute. Then add in the shiitake mushrooms and carrot and fry for another minute. Add in the zucchini and scallions and fry for one more minute. Slightly turn down the heat and add in the noodles, spinach tofu and sauce. Toss and cook until all the sauce is all soaked up.
• Serve and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

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!.

GLOSSY VEGETARIAN JAPCHAE (KOREAN STIR-FRY GLASS NOODLES)

Steps:

• Prepare the sauce. In a bowl, mix together Sesame Oil, Light Soy Sauce, Brown Sugar, toasted Sesame Seeds, and Black Pepper. Set aside.
• Boil a pot of Water. Cook the Glass Noodles for 8-10 minutes according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water for about 30 seconds to stop the cooking. Use a pair of scissors to give the noodles a few cut. Set aside.
• In a wok, add in Vegetable Oil, on medium-high heat. Add in Onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until slightly soften. Then add in Garlic and cook for about a minute.
• Add in Carrot and Red Bell Pepper. Cook for 3 minutes until they are nicely soft. Then add in the dried Tofu. Cook for another minute or two.
• Next, add in Shiitake Mushroom and Spinach. Toss well. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Turn the heat down to low. Add in the Glass Noodles, the premade Sauce, and chopped Green Onions. Combine everything well.
• Transfer to serving bowls or plates. Garnish with some extra Green Onions, toasted Sesame Seeds, and Chili Flakes. Ready to enjoy!

JAP CHAE (STIR FRIED GLASS NOODLES WITH VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• In a bowl, soak the vermicelli in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain the noodles, drop into a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds, and then rinse in cold water. Cut the noodles with kitchen shears.
• Heat a large pan. Add 2 tablespoons sesame oil. Add the onion, carrot, red bell pepper, scallions, mushrooms, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Let cook for a few minutes, stirring, until the vegetables are cooked but still a little crisp. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl. To the pan add 1 more tablespoon sesame oil. Add the noodles, spinach, salt and pepper. Let cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring. Add to the vegetables with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds and combine.
• Transfer to a platter. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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.