Easy Korean Japchae recipe
Learn how to make Korean glass noodle stir fry, served hot or cold, with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- 300 g beef clod (shoulder)
- 1 medium sized onion
- 1 medium sized carrot
- 100 g spinach
- Half of red bell pepper
- 3 medium sized mushrooms (shiitake or champignons)
- 200 g glass noodles (or Starch noodles (Dangmyeon))
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- A pit of black pepper
Sauce
- 5 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- A bit of black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
Instructions
- Slice carrots and bell pepper into thin strips. Cut the onion in half and slice it lengthwise. Halve the mushrooms and then slice them lengthwise.
- In a pan, on low heat, fry sesame seeds until they turn golden brown. Allow them to cool down and set them aside.
- Slice the beef into thin strips, approximately 1.5 cm wide, 4 cm long, and 0.3 cm thick.
- Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, mix soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, chopped garlic, and half of the fried sesame seeds. Stir well and pour about 60% of the mixture over the beef. Ensure all the beef pieces are covered in the sauce. Set it aside, but avoid marinating the beef in the sauce for too long, as it may become too salty.
- Cook the glass noodles according to the package instructions and set them aside.
- Boil water in a pot. Wash the spinach and place it in the boiling water. After 1 minute, remove the spinach and immerse it in cold water for about 1-2 minutes. Squeeze out as much water as possible from the spinach and set them aside.
- Heat the pan to slightly higher than medium heat. Add sesame oil, onions, and carrots. Fry for approximately 5 minutes. Then add the bell pepper, sprinkle with black pepper, and fry for an additional 5-7 minutes until the vegetables become soft. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a bowl and set them aside.
- Heat the same pan over high heat. Add the beef and chopped mushrooms. Fry for 3 minutes, flipping the beef occasionally. 3 minutes should be sufficient for thinly sliced beef. If your beef is thicker, cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, but be cautious not to burn it. Place the cooked beef in a separate bowl and set it aside.
- Clean the pan from the beef residue and heat it over medium heat. Add the glass noodles and pour the remaining sauce over them. Stir until the sauce is well combined with the noodles, which should take about a minute. Transfer the rice noodles to a bowl or plate.
- Serving Option 1: In a pan, over low heat, add vegetables, beef, and noodles. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes. Then serve.Serving Option 2: In a pan, add vegetables and beef, and cook for a couple of minutes over low heat. Then place the noodles on the plate and add the cooked vegetables and beef on top.
- Sprinkle top with sesame seeds.