How to make japchae at home: glass noodles, vegetables, beef and the sauce

Ingredients (serves 4 as a side, 2 as a main)

• 200 g dangmyeon (당면), Korean sweet potato starch noodles

• 150 g beef (sirloin, or any tender cut), cut into thin strips
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• a pinch of black pepper

• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
• 1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
• 4–5 shiitake mushrooms (fresh, or dried and soaked), sliced
• 150 g spinach
• 3–4 spring onions, cut into lengths
• 1 egg (optional, for garnish)

• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar (or 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp honey)
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• black pepper
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. Soak and boil the noodles. Soak the dry noodles in warm water for about 30 minutes, then boil until soft and chewy, usually 5–7 minutes (check your packet). Drain, and rinse briefly under cold water to stop them cooking.
2. Cut and dress the noodles. Snip them a few times with kitchen scissors so they are not too long to serve. Toss them straight away with 1 tbsp of the sesame oil and 1 tbsp of the soy sauce from the sauce ingredients. This coats each strand, adds flavour and stops them clumping.
3. Marinate the beef. Mix the beef with its marinade and set aside.
4. Blanch the spinach. Drop it into boiling water for about 30 seconds, rinse in cold water, squeeze out the water firmly, and season with a pinch of salt and a drop of sesame oil.
5. Make the egg garnish (optional). Separate the yolk and white, fry each into a thin sheet over low heat, and slice into strips.
6. Stir-fry each vegetable separately in a little oil over medium-high heat with a pinch of salt: onion until translucent, carrot until just soft, pepper briefly, mushrooms until golden, spring onions for a few seconds. Set each aside on a large plate. Cooking separately keeps the colours bright and each vegetable at the right texture.
7. Cook the beef in the same pan until just done.
8. Make the sauce. Mix the remaining soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic and pepper.
9. Cook the noodles in the sauce. Add the noodles and sauce to the pan over medium heat and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until the noodles absorb the sauce and turn glossy.
10. Combine. Off the heat, add the beef and vegetables and toss everything together, by hand if you can (gloves help). Taste and adjust with soy sauce, sugar or sesame oil. Finish with sesame seeds and the egg strips.

Keeping the noodles from clumping

• Do not overcook them. They should be soft but still springy.
• Rinse briefly in cold water, drain well, and oil them immediately.
• Mix everything while the noodles are still warm; cold noodles stick and break.
• Use plenty of space: a large bowl or wide pan makes tossing easier.

Vegetarian and vegan version

Variations

• Japchae bap: serve over rice as a full meal.
• Add bean sprouts, courgette or cabbage, depending on what you have.
• A little gochugaru (chilli flakes) gives a spicy version.

Storage and reheating

• Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• The noodles harden in the fridge. Reheat in a frying pan with a splash of water and a little sesame oil, or briefly in the microwave, covered.
• Japchae does not freeze well; the noodles turn mushy when thawed.