A no-fail recipe for Japchae, a beloved dish for festive occasions and gatherings.
[4 Servings, Under 60 Minutes, Easy to Make]
Japchae, a classic Korean dish, is perfect for holidays and hosting guests. This recipe ensures the glass noodles are perfectly cooked without burning, guaranteeing compliments every time.
Ingredients:
- [Japchae Ingredients]
- Glass noodles (Dangmyeon), 300g
- Pork, 300g
- Dried shiitake mushrooms, 3
- Spinach, 1/2 bunch
- Carrot, 1/2
- Onion, 1
- Yellow bell pepper, 1/2
- Red bell pepper, 1/2
- Fresh shiitake mushrooms, 3
- [Meat Marinade]
- Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons (Ts)
- Cooking sake, 1 tablespoon (Ts)
- Sugar, 1 tablespoon (Ts)
- Sesame oil, 1 tablespoon (Ts)
- Minced garlic, 1 tablespoon (Ts)
- A pinch of pepper
- [Japchae Seasoning]
- Soy sauce, 1/3 cup
- Sugar, 2 tablespoons (Ts)
- Oligosaccharide, 2 tablespoons (Ts)
- Cooking oil, 3 tablespoons (Ts)
- A pinch of pepper
- Oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon (ts)
- Water, 1 cup
Instructions:
- Soak glass noodles and dried shiitake mushrooms separately: noodles for 1 hour, mushrooms for 20 minutes.
- Slice all vegetables for Japchae. Cut the mushrooms to finger size (ouch!)
- Marinate pork and shiitake mushrooms with soy sauce, cooking sake, sugar, minced garlic, sesame oil, and pepper.
- Boil spinach briefly in salted water, rinse with cold water, squeeze out excess water, and season with salt and sesame oil.
- Prepare Japchae seasoning: mix soy sauce, water, pepper, oligosaccharide, sugar, oyster sauce, and cooking oil in a large bowl.
- Stir-fry onion, carrot, bell peppers, and shiitake mushrooms in a heated pan with oil. Once slightly cooked, remove from heat and let cool.
- In the same pan, stir-fry the marinated pork and shiitake mushrooms until cooked. Set aside to cool.
- Bring the pan to high heat, add Japchae seasoning and bring to a boil. Add the soaked noodles and cook, stirring frequently.
- Once the noodles are cooked, cut them into edible lengths, keep stirring until the sauce is absorbed, then turn off the heat.
- Combine the noodles with the prepared vegetables and meat. Mix well with sesame oil.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds for an added nutty flavor. Serve hot.
Notes:
- The key to perfect Japchae is in the preparation and the right balance of seasoning.
- This method ensures the noodles absorb the flavors without overcooking.