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Korean glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables and beef in a sweet soy dressing. Served warm or at room temperature.
Japchae
- 200g sweet potato glass noodles
- 150g beef sirloin, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 1/2 red pepper, sliced
- 100g spinach, blanched
- 4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil, plus extra to finish
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Sesame seeds, to finish
- Soak the noodles in hot water until soft, about 8 minutes, then drain and cut into shorter lengths.
- Marinate the beef in a little soy sauce and garlic, then stir-fry until cooked. Set aside.
- Stir-fry the carrot, pepper, and mushrooms separately until just softened.
- Toss the noodles with soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil in a hot pan for 2 minutes.
- Combine the noodles, beef, vegetables, and spinach.
- Finish with extra sesame oil and sesame seeds.
Why this recipe works
Cooking each vegetable and the beef separately keeps every ingredient at its best texture, rather than turning everything the same shade of soft in one pan.
Tips for the best japchae
- Cut the soaked noodles with scissors, since they can be very long and unwieldy otherwise.
- Do not overcook the noodles in the pan at the end, or they turn gummy.
- This keeps well and tastes good cold, making it a good make-ahead side.
