Vegetarian Japchae

Hello! I'm pleased to offer up on of my favorite Korean dishes for today's post: Japchae! While I usually have this with beef when I eat out, at home I rarely buy meat if I'm cooking for myself so this is a vegetarian version. This was so easy to put together that I really can't believe I've never tried it before. The only unusual ingredients are the noodles. Glass noodles are made from sweet potato so aren't your average pasta option. The texture is more chewy and slippery than regular noodles which might not sound delicious but trust me, it is. One tip I would suggest is to cut your noodles if they come folded over like mine as this makes them easier to eat. I snipped the folded end and left them otherwise intact.

Ingredients

Making friends in the pan

I had picked up these noodles the last time I was in the Korean shop and they've been sitting around in my cupboard ever since. So, I thought I'd give this recipe a go even though I didn't have shitake mushrooms, which are traditionally included. Normally you buy the dry mushrooms, soak them for 2 hours or so, wring out the water and slice. I substituted chestnut mushrooms since that's what I had in my fridge already and it was perfectly tasty. Other optional additions could be some spinach (boiled for a minute and rinsed) and bell pepper (thinly sliced). If you'd like to add in the beef, thinly slice a steak and saute with the onions. In the traditional recipes I've been reading, they often cook the ingredients individually and mix just before serving. I was impatient and therefore added all the ingredients into one pan and it still turned out ok... so it's up to you!

Noodles ready for cooking

Noodles after boiling

Finished product! 

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp sesame oil 

4 chestnut mushrooms, sliced 

1/2 a large carrot, thinly sliced

1/2 a yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 green onions

Handful of glass noodles

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

Sesame seeds 

Method: 

Splash the oils into a large saute pan and heat over medium high. Add the onions into the pan and saute until they start to soften. Next add the mushrooms and carrot, stirring regularly to allow them to cook evenly. When the mushrooms have started to soften, add the green onions and remove from the heat. Drizzle one tablespoon of soy sauce over the vegetables and set aside. Boil water in a medium pot and add the glass noodles. Allow to boil for 4-5 minutes, stirring to make sure all the noodles are submerged. The noodles are ready when they are soft and chewy. When finished, drain the noodles and add to the pan with the vegetables. Place the saute pan over a medium heat, add the remaining soy sauce and sugar and stir to incorporate. When the pan is sizzling again, it's ready! Serve in bowls and sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. Enjoy!