Japchae is a spicy, sweet, and savory platter of stir-fried glass and Korean noodles. The dish is also full of herbs. Japchae is usually made of Dragonfly, a type of cellophane noodle made from sweet potato starch.
In this dish, noodles are combined with a large variety of vegetables, meat, and mushrooms. Once a royal dish, it is now one of the most famous traditional recipes. It is mostly served for special occasions, such as weddings. Often, because it is easy to prepare and versatile, it is renowned for feeding crowds at banquets, parties, and potlucks.
Japchae can be served warm at room temperature or cold after being refrigerated. It can be eaten freshly prepared or enjoyed the next day. To learn how to create this party-pleasing dish, check out the recipe below.
Korean Japchae
- Author: Romae Chanice Marquez
- Recipe Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Korean
Japchae literally means “mixed vegetables.” However, the main ingredient of this classic dish is Korean sweet potato starch noodles. The whole preparation and cooking time is only 30 minutes. This recipe is suitable for four servings.
Japchae is a spicy, sweet, and savory platter of stir-fried glass and Korean noodles and herbs. Photo credit: @thrivingonplants / Instagram.com
Korean Japchae Ingredients
- 9 oz sweet potato noodles
- 5 oz spinach
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
- 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small carrot, cut into thin strips
- 2 stalk scallion, cut into 1-inch lengths
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon toasted white sesame
For the sauce,
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Korean Japchae Instructions
Step 1: Cook the sweet potato noodles for about 6 minutes in a big pot of boiling water. Drain the water and, under cold running water, rinse the noodles. Cut the noodles into roughly 6-inch pieces using a pair of scissors. Set aside.
Step 2: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil the spinach about 1 minute until it is wilted. Rinse spinach in cold, running water and drain the water.
Step 3: Shape the spinach into a ball and squeeze it to discard the rest of the water. Cut the spinach ball in half.
Step 4: In a pot or wok, heat up the oil and add onion, garlic, mushroom, and carrot and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the scallion and fry for one minute.
Step 5: Turn the heat to medium. Add the noodles and spinach to the saucepan or wok, then sauté, adding salt to taste.
Step 6: Next, plate the dish. Serve at room temperature with the sésame seeds on top.
Korean Japchae Additional Information
- Per serving has 396 calories, 10 g of fat, 1388 mg of sodium, 83 g of carbohydrates.
- This dish will take 30 minutes to make.
- This recipe will make enough japchae for four people.
- Before, Japchae was served as a side dish. However, more and more restaurants are adapting to people’s appetites and are serving Japchae as a main dish.
Image source: hipfoodiemom.com
About Korean Japchae Recipe
Japchae was introduced to ordinary people, just like other royal dishes. The success of the cellophane noodles made from sweet potato starch was brought to Korea later in the 20th century. Since then, the noodles have become a primary and essential part of japchae. Beef and other meats were added to the noodle dish to enhance it as a full meal.
Conclusion
To create the genuine flavors of this dish successfully, the real secret is to find the right balance between soy and sugar. For more Korean recipes and dishes, click here.
Featured Image: @noodleking.scbd / Instagram.com, @jcharmagne / Instagram.com
