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    Japchae

    잡채 (japchae)

    Chewy sweet-potato starch noodles dressed with soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil and tossed with separately stir-fried vegetables, shiitake, marinated beef and strips of egg omelette. A Korean party dish, served hot or cold; this is Yong-Kyu Kwon's version from SBS's Food Safari.

    Japchae glass noodles with beef, shiitake, vegetables and yellow and white omelette strips.
    Editorial illustration of the documented recipe; not a photograph of a kitchen-tested result.
    Servings
    4
    Preparation
    25 min
    Cooking
    25 min
    Total
    50 min
    Difficulty
    Moderate

    Equipment

    • Wok or large frying pan; small non-stick pan for the omelettes
    • Large pot of boiling water; large mixing bowl
    Servings4

    Ingredients

    • Beef

    • Noodles

    • Vegetables

    Shopping list

    Method

    1. Mix the beef with its marinade and set aside.

    2. Soak the noodles in cold water for a few minutes, then cook in plenty of boiling water for 5 minutes. Rinse in cold water, drain well and cut into 10–15 cm lengths. Mix with the soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil.

      Timer · 5 min5:00

    3. Stir-fry the onion in a little oil with a pinch of salt and set it on a plate. Repeat with the carrot, then the capsicum, then the shiitake.

      Why Cooking each vegetable separately keeps its colour and texture.

    4. Beat the yolk and the white separately and fry each as a thin omelette. Cut into strips.

    5. Stir-fry the beef and add it to the vegetables.

    6. Stir-fry the noodles for a couple of minutes, tip them into a large bowl and toss with the meat and vegetables. Add more soy sauce, sugar or sesame oil to taste and serve garnished with the egg strips.

    To drink & serve with

    • Bulgogi

      Another Korean beef dish with the same soy, sugar and sesame seasoning.

    Substitutions

    • Green capsicum → Green beans or spinach, lightly blanched and stir-fried, as Kwon suggests.
    • Beef → Leave it out and use several kinds of mushroom for a mushroom japchae.

    Common mistakes

    • Not cutting the noodles: uncut, they tangle into a single mass.

    Storage & reheating

    Japchae is eaten hot or at room temperature. Refrigerate within 2 hours; eat within 2 days. The noodles harden in the fridge; warm them through to soften.

    Safety

    Contains soy and gluten (soy sauce), sesame and egg.

    Allergens

    Soy · Gluten · Sesame · Egg

    Check labels: stock, bacon and sauces can contain further allergens.

    A dish for parties

    SBS's Food Safari describes japchae as a popular Korean dish for parties, made with chewy cellophane noodles of sweet potato starch and julienned vegetables, sometimes with meat. It can be served hot or cold, which suits a shared table.

    [1]

    Everything cooked apart, then tossed

    Each element is cooked on its own: the onion, carrot, capsicum and mushrooms in turn with a pinch of salt, the egg as two thin yellow and white omelettes, the beef after a short marinade. The boiled noodles are cut and dressed with soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil, stir-fried briefly and then tossed with everything else, so each colour stays distinct.

    [1]

    How it connects

    Place

    • origin South Korea In preparation

    Recipe

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