RECIPE: Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles with Mixed vegetables)

06 Apr 2021

By Michelle Tan

Japchae, a versatile Korean dish with a blend of sweet and savoury flavours of crunchy vegetables and chewy noodles.
Japchae, a versatile Korean dish with a blend of sweet and savoury flavours of crunchy vegetables and chewy noodles. Photo: Adobe Stock.

Japchae is a Korean dish enjoyed cold as a side dish or served as a hot main course over a steaming bed of rice. A staple found at celebrations and festive holidays, this vibrant dish is made with sweet potato starch glass noodles, featuring a medley of colourful vegetables. Japchae is well-loved as it has a balance of sweet and savoury flavours, blended with crunchy, chewy and soft textures. For a heartier meal, add protein such as thinly sliced egg omelette, strips of meat, or strips of hard tofu for a vegan friendly meal. The secret to getting the balance of this versatile dish right is to be mindful of the different cooking times for each ingredient. Prior to serving, top off the dish with an additional generous helping of roasted sesame seeds. Leftovers can be kept refrigerated and reheated to restore the noodles to its chewy state.

Serves: Four

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • ½ a medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 100g mushroom of your choice
  • ¼ Red Capsicum, julienned
  • ¼ Yellow Capsicum, julienned
  • 150g baby spinach leaves
  • 2 stalks of scallions, sliced in half and then cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 200g Korean Sweet Potato Starch Noodles (DANGMYEON)
  • 2 Tbsp Oil
  • Salt
  • 5 cups of boiling water

Protein Marinade:

  • 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp mirin
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil.

Sauce:

  • 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 3 Tbsp Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Sesame oil
  • 2 Tsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 Tbsp Roasted Sesame Seeds
  • Black pepper to taste

Optional ingredients:

  • 200g protein of your choice.
  • Additional roasted sesame seeds

Method:

  1. Combine Sauce ingredients together and mix well until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
  2. Mix Protein Marinade with thinly sliced protein if desired. Marinate for at least 10 minutes.
  3. Quickly blanch baby spinach, rinse in cold water and squeeze out any excess water. Ensure it is well drained and season with a pinch of salt.
  4. Stir fry each vegetable individually and set aside. 
  5. Cook the protein of your choice. Set aside.
  6. In a pot, wait for water to boil vigorously, add the noodles and boil for about 7 minutes until noodles are soft and elastic.
  7. Immediately rinse the cooked noodles under cold water and drain well.
  8. In a large mixing bowl, add all cooked ingredients. Pour the mixed sauce and mix well.