Potluck Japchae (Korean Glass Noodle Stir Fry)
This delicious sweet potato noodle stir fry is worth all the chopping it takes to create.
Equipment
- 1 large pan
- 1 small bowl for eggs (optional)
- 1 spatula for eggs (optional)
- 1 small plate for eggs (optional)
- 1 large cutting board
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 5-quart pot
- 1 medium stainless steel mesh strainer
- 1 Colander
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 kitchen shears
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp canola oil or sunflower oil
- 2 large eggs optional
- 3 cups fresh spinach (about 1 bunch)
- 1 large carrot sliced into thin matchsticks (about 12 ounces)
- ¾ tsp salt divided
- ¾ tsp ground black pepper divided
- 1 red bell pepper cut into strips
- 1 large onion yellow or white, cut into strips
- 5 garlic cloves minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 8 ounces button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 bunch green onions or scallions, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound sweet potato glass noodles (1000 g)
- ½ cup soy sauce divided
- ¼ cup sesame oil divided
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
Instructions
- Optional: Heat the large sauté pan on medium heat. Scramble the eggs in the small bowl, if using. Add 1 tablespoon of canola or sunflower oil, turn the pan to coat it with oil, then pour the eggs into the pan, spreading it thinly all over. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes then flip. Move to a plate and let cool. Turn the burner off for now.
- Wash and chop all your vegetables, keeping each vegetable separate.
- Fill the 5-quart pot with water and bring to a boil on high heat. When the water is boiling, add spinach and blanch for about 1 minute. Remove spinach from pot with the stainless steel metal strainer and put in colander. Squeeze spinach tightly to remove the excess water and place in a medium bowl. Add 1 tsp of soy sauce and 1 tsp of sesame oil and mix well so the spinach is no longer stuck together.
- Add the sweet potato glass noodles to the same pot of water and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain the noodles into the colander and rinse with cool water. Using the kitchen shears, cut the noodles into smaller pieces. Add the noodles to the large bowl along with half of the soy sauce, half of the sesame oil, and half of the coconut palm sugar. Mix well with your hands to combine. Add seasoned spinach to bowl.
- Heat the large sauté pan on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of canola or sunflower oil and cook the carrots with ¼ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of ground black pepper for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooked carrots from the pan to the large bowl on top of the noodles.
- Add 1 tablespoon of canola or sunflower oil to the pan and cook the bell peppers with ¼ tsp of salt for 3 minutes. Add the cooked bell peppers to the bowl with the noodles.
- Add 1 tablespoon of canola or sunflower oil to the pan and cook the yellow or white onions with ¼ tsp of salt for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cooked onions to the bowl with the noodles.
- Add 1 tablespoon of canola or sunflower oil to the pan and cook the mushrooms with the garlic and ¼ tsp of ground black pepper for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cooked mushrooms to the bowl with the noodles.
- Add 1 tablespoon of canola or sunflower oil to the pan and cook the green onions for 1 minute. Add the cooked green onions to the bowl with the noodles.
- Optional: slice the cooled eggs into thin strips and add them to the bowl.
- Pour the remaining soy sauce, sesame oil, and coconut palm sugar over the noodles and vegetables and mix well with your hands, for about 2 minutes. Top with sesame seeds and serve.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Can I use white sugar or brown sugar instead of coconut palm sugar?
Yes. White sugar is what is traditionally used in many Japchae recipes.
How long in advance can I prepare this?
Japchae is usually best served at room temperature within a few hours after it is cooked. I will usually start cooking this dish about 2 hours before I plan to leave for my gathering. If you don’t have that much time, you can wash, cut, and cook all the vegetables (except the spinach) the day prior, but wait to cook the spinach and the sweet potato noodles until the day you plan to serve. While you are cooking these last components, you can warm the vegetables in a pan on the stove or in a microwave-safe dish then mix them altogether once the noodles are cooked, cooled, and cut.
What meat can I add to the noodles?
You can add thinly sliced strips of marinated beef, pork, or chicken to make this a heartier dish. Cook the meat in the pan that you cooked the vegetables and add it to the bowl for mixing. A simple marinade of soy sauce, some type of sugar, and garlic will taste wonderful.
How do I heat up leftovers? How long do they keep?
Put the leftover Japchae on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Leftover Japchae without meat keeps for about 1 week in the fridge.