December 16 2015

Japchae, Stir-Fried Glass Noodles (Vegetarian Style)

Japchae or stir fried glass noodles is usually served at Korean parties or on special occasions. We’ll oftentimes have them on a random day in our house, the kids love this dish because they love to slurp up the noodles. You add a lot of vegetables in here like carrots, onion, and mushrooms, so that’s always a bonus. Japchae can be served as a side dish or a main dish, it’s up to you!

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1. Here are all of the vegetables we’ll be using. First, chop or slice all the vegetables.

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2. Cut broccoli into small pieces. These you’ll slice into strips: the white and purple onion, the bell pepper, the mushrooms, and the carrots.

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2. You can use any kind of glass noodles. Here’s the one we used, which is from the Korean market.

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3. Start by boiling water in a pot. When boiling, add the broccoli and a pinch of salt. You just want to get the broccoli a little soft so just leave it in there for about 30 seconds. Rinse with cool water.

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4. In a big stainless steel bowl, get ready to add in each vegetable as they get stir fried. Each of the vegetables get stir fried separately, to preserve the tastes. First, we’ll start with the white onions, the purple onions and the mushrooms. Add 1 tbsp of the grape seed oil, add the vegetable, add a pinch of salt and stir fry for one minute each. Then, add this vegetable into the big stainless steel bowl.

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5. Once you’ve done it with all the vegetables (bell pepper and carrots), it’ll look like this. Notice, we’ve added the boiled broccoli.

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6. Now in a separate saucepan, you’ll bring 5 cups of water to a boil and then add in the glass noodles. Stir occasionally. Cook about 7 minutes or till the noodles get not so chewy. Using a strainer, rinse the noodles with cold water.

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7. Cut up the noodles with a knife so that the noodles aren’t so long and stringy.

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8. Add the noodles to the vegetables and mix.

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9. It’s time for the seasonings. Add the soy sauce, the sesame oil, sugar and sesame seeds. Mix. Now, take the whole thing, and heat it on medium heat back in the wok for 3-5 minutes or until the noodles are warm. Stir frequently so that the noodles don’t get stuck to the bottom.

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Recipe:
1/3 of a 500g package of glass noodles
2 cups of broccoli
1/2 white onion
1/2 red onion
1 red or orange bell pepper (for color)
5 Shitake mushrooms (if dried, soak in water)
1/2 carrot
6 tsp grape seed oil (1 tsp per vegetable)
5 cups of water
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp soy sauce (optional, add another 1 tbsp)
1/8 cup sesame oil
2 1/2 tbsp sugar
pinches of salt, to taste
1 tsp sesame seeds

1. Cut or slice all vegetables. Separate broccoli into small pieces. Slice into thin strips: onion, red onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and carrots.
2. Bowl water in a pot. When boiling, add in broccoli and a little salt. Boil for just 30 seconds. Rinse with water.
3. You’ll be sauteeing each vegetable the same. Use 1 tsp grape seed oil add it into a hot wok. Then add the vegetable, a pinch of salt and saute for one minute. Do the same for each vegetable. As each one is done, dump it into a large, stainless steel bowl.
4. Add the broccoli to the veggies and mix all together.
5. In a separate saucepan, boil water. When boiling, add in the glass noodles, stirring occasionally. Cook for 6 minutes or until noodles are not too hard and chewy. Rinse noodles in cold water.
6. Before you add the noodles to the vegetables, cut them up with a knife so that they’re easy to eat.
7. Now, add the noodles to the vegetables.
8. Add in seasonings: soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and sesame seeds. Mix.
9. Put mixture back in wok and heat on medium for 3-5 minutes.

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