Japchae (Korean Noodles)

Japchae: Basic Korean Stir-Fried Noodles

Japchae (잡채) is a basic Korean stir-fried dish made with chewy candy potato noodles (dangmyeon), marinated beef (soegogi), and colourful veggies like spinach (sigeumchi), shiitake mushrooms (beoseot), carrots (danggeun), and onion (yangpa). It’s tossed in a savory-sweet sesame-soy sauce and topped with skinny egg strips (jidan). This japchae recipe is every part you need: genuine sufficient to respect custom however simple sufficient to make at dwelling similar to my beef bulgogi. I take advantage of Korean glass noodles (dangmyeon) for that signature chewy texture, and I examined it to be doable on a weeknight—no loopy prep, simply easy steps and accessible components. It’s visually gorgeous with vibrant colours and restaurant-quality taste, and it nails the stability between chewy noodles, tender beef, and crisp veggies.

The Elements (and Substitutions) for Japchae Noodles

• Ribeye or Sirloin or NY Strip Steak: Ribeye is a conventional alternative and what I used, however all these cuts of beef are nice. Something that’s extraordinarily tender and will be sliced skinny can work simply as properly.
• Marinade: I marinated the ribeye with a basic sauce made with soy, garlic, sesame oil, and sugar. I added a splash of mirin, which is technically not conventional and is a slight departure from the basic recipe, however belief me, it provides a pleasant contact. You can even skip the mirin if you do not have it.
• Korean candy potato starch noodles (dangmyeon), often known as Korean-style glass noodles or cellophane noodles – you should purchase them at an Asian grocery or on-line. They’re chewy, translucent, and take up the flavors of the sauce completely, making them important to genuine japchae. You possibly can sub with conventional glass noodles (mung bean or potato starch), rice vermicelli, udon, or soba noodles. As a final resort, ramen and even spaghetti can work—undoubtedly not genuine, however with the sauce and veggies, it nonetheless makes a tasty dish.
• Veggies: I take advantage of basic choices like bell peppers, carrots, and spinach, however this recipe is versatile. You possibly can simply swap in or add greens like zucchini, snap peas, or child corn—no matter you might have available works properly.
• Mushrooms: I take advantage of Shiitake mushrooms – they’re conventional in Korean cooking and add deep umami taste with a barely chewy texture. Oyster mushrooms, porcinis, and even creminis make nice substitutions for shiitake mushrooms. You possibly can often simply discover any of those mushrooms at Asian grocery shops.
• Spinach: You need to use frozen spinach as an alternative of contemporary. Simply bear in mind to warmth it totally, squeeze out all of the water, and add a pinch of salt.
• Eggs: I make a rolled egg sheet (jidan) or crepe, a typical observe in conventional japchae. It is a should if you need a reastaurant-quality dish!
• Tip: This photograph reveals all of the components you want (with labels). Take a screenshot on your procuring checklist:

Key Preparation Ideas

• Slicing beef ribeye or sirloin: In case your ribeye is just not frozen already, wrap in plastic, and place within the freezer between 30-45 minutes till it’s ever so barely frozen. This may make it quite a bit simpler to slice skinny.
• Contemporary vs. dried shiitake mushrooms: It’s quite a bit simpler to slice contemporary shiitake mushrooms, however they aren’t all the time as simple to search out as dried. If utilizing dried shiitakes, ensure that to rehydrate them in scorching water, putting one other bowl on prime to immerse the mushrooms (they wish to float). As soon as rehydrated (this could take wherever from 5-10 minutes relying on the dimensions), squeeze out the water, reduce the stem off, and slice the mushrooms as you’d within the recipe.
• Scorching pan: When cooking the ribeye, you desire a extremely popular pan to cook dinner the meat very quick. That is the way it’s finished at your favourite Korean restaurant. The longer you might have it within the pan, the more durable the meat will turn out to be. 
• The noodles should be drained VERY properly! If there may be an excessive amount of residual water left, they won’t take up the sauce very properly and this dish might be watery.

How you can Make Korean Japchae Noodles (Step-by-Step Photographs)

Word: That is solely an summary of the recipe with useful step-by-step images. The detailed recipe + the ingredient quantities are on the backside of this publish – if you need to leap straight all the way down to the recipe – CLICK HERE.

• Marinate the steak: Whisk collectively soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, mirin, and garlic till the sugar dissolves. Put the sliced rib-eye into the marinade and put aside.

• Japchae Noodle Sauce: In a measuring cup or small bowl, mix the sesame seed oil, soy sauce, sugar, sesame seeds, and black pepper till the sugar dissolves. Put aside.

• Prepare dinner the candy potato noodles (dangmyeon) in response to package deal directions. Drain them very properly—rinse with chilly water and even pat dry—to stop sogginess. Toss these Korean glass noodles with two-thirds of the sauce to begin flavoring.

• Make the egg strips (jidan) by cooking overwhelmed eggs in a skinny layer with out browning. Let cool, then roll and slice thinly. This provides colour and a refined egg taste, a conventional garnish.

• Prepare dinner the veggies: Authentically, I cook dinner all of the veggies individually to take care of their distinct textures and colours.
• Blanch the spinach in salted boiling water, then shock it in chilly water and squeeze out extra moisture.
• Dry sauté shiitake mushrooms with a pinch of salt till simply wilted. Use both contemporary shiitake or rehydrate dried shiitake correctly earlier than cooking them.
• Evenly cook dinner the onions, carrots, and bell peppers in the identical pan till softened however nonetheless crisp.

• Sear the marinated ribeye rapidly over excessive warmth to maintain it tender.
• Slice rolled egg sheet (jidan): Roll the cooled egg sheet, and slice into skinny strips.

• Assemble: Mix the Korean glass noodles, greens, egg strips, and beef in a big bowl. Pour the remaining sauce over every part and gently combine by hand, making certain even coating. Regulate seasoning if wanted.

• How you can plate it: Switch to a serving platter, sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds, and serve scorching, heat, or at room temperature. This step-by-step recipe respects genuine textures and flavors whereas holding it manageable for dwelling cooking. I’d love to listen to your suggestions in the feedback part beneath.