Japchae
Sweet and savory stir-fried sweet potato noodles with sautéed vegetables and sesame oil. A colorful, satisfying Korean dish ready in under 30 minutes.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 8g
Ingredients
- 6 oz sweet potato noodles (dangmyeon)
- 1 whole red bell pepper
- 1 whole medium carrot
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 4 oz shiitake mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- 1
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat, until large bubbles break the surface rapidly, about 5 minutes.
- 2
Place the sweet potato noodles into the boiling water and stir with a wooden spoon to separate them, then cook until they bend without snapping, about 6 minutes.
- 3
Drain the noodles into a colander and rinse under cold running water until cool to the touch, moving them gently with your fingers as the water runs, about 1 minute.
- 4
Place the drained noodles in a large bowl and drizzle with 0.5 tablespoons of sesame oil, then use two forks or chopsticks to toss until every strand is coated, about 30 seconds.
- 5
Slice the red bell pepper lengthwise from top to bottom into four equal quarters, then remove all white seeds inside; place flat-side down on the cutting board and slice into 1/4-inch-thick strips across the width.
- 6
Peel the carrot with a vegetable peeler, then slice it lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick ribbons; turn the ribbon onto its flat side and slice crosswise every 2 inches to create thin short sticks.
- 7
Rinse the fresh spinach under cold water and gently squeeze out excess water with your hands; place on a cutting board and coarsely chop into 2-inch pieces.
- 8
Place each shiitake mushroom cap-side down and slice straight down through the cap into 1/4-inch-thick slices; discard the woody stems.
- 9
Mince the garlic cloves into pieces smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots—using a sharp knife and a rocking motion.
- 10
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 11
Add the mushroom slices to the hot oil and cook, stirring once every 30 seconds, until the edges turn golden-brown and no moisture remains, about 4 minutes.
- 12
Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and transfer to a small plate set off to the side.
- 13
Add the carrot sticks to the same skillet and cook, stirring once every 30 seconds, until they bend slightly when pressed but still snap, about 2 minutes.
- 14
Add the bell pepper strips to the skillet and cook, stirring once every 30 seconds, until the edges just begin to soften, about 1.5 minutes.
- 15
Add the minced garlic to the skillet and stir constantly in a figure-eight motion for 15 seconds until the smell becomes strongly fragrant and fills the kitchen.
- 16
Add the spinach handful by handful, stirring after each addition with a wooden spoon, until all spinach is dark green and wilted, about 2 minutes total.
- 17
Return the cooked mushrooms to the skillet and pour in the 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of sugar; stir with a wooden spoon until every vegetable is evenly coated and glossy, about 30 seconds.
- 18
Add the cooked noodles to the skillet and use two forks or tongs to lift and turn the mixture continuously for 90 seconds until noodles, vegetables, and sauce are evenly distributed.
- 19
Remove the skillet from heat and drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over the top.
- 20
Divide the japchae between two serving bowls, using tongs to lift portions directly from the skillet into the center of each bowl.
- 21
Scatter 0.5 tablespoons of sesame seeds evenly over the top of each bowl in a thin layer.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot
- colander
- large mixing bowl
- cutting board
- sharp chef's knife
- vegetable peeler
- 12-inch skillet
- wooden spoon
- slotted spoon
- two forks or tongs
- measuring spoons
- two serving bowls
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