Japchae (Korean Stir Fried Glass Noodles)

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JAPCHAE SAUCE
▪75g or 1/3c soy sauce
▪45g or 3Tbsp brown sugar
▪15g or 1t sesame oil
▪30g or 2Tbsp oyster sauce
▪10g or 2t rice vinegar

Stir to combine

JAPCHAE
▪8oz/225g Steak (filet mingnon)
▪125g or 1 pack/cluster of fresh hon shimeji mushrooms (sub with baby bella or any other mushroom you like)
▪25g or 2Tbsp soy sauce
▪5g or 1t sesame oil
▪15g or 3 1/2t brown sugar
▪2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
▪1 small-med onion, sliced
▪75-100g scallions or about 1 bunch
▪100-125g red bell pepper, about 1 large pepper
▪100-125g carrot, about 1 large carrot
▪125g shitake mushrooms or 5-6 caps (again, sub with whatever mushroom you like)
▪2 egg yolks
▪Olive oil
▪Salt
▪Water
▪250g or 8-10oz fresh spinach
▪225g or 8oz sweet potato/glass noodles
▪Toasted sesame seeds ▪Black pepper

1.Slice steak into strips that are about ¼” wide by ¼” thick (1cm x 1cm). If using han shimeji mushrooms, just cut off the stem end. If using another variety, slice into a medium thickness.

2. Add steak and mushrooms to a bowl along with the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar and garlic and mix to combine. Allow to marinate for 15-20 minutes or as long as it takes to prep your veggies. 

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. You’ll need this later to cook spinach and the noodles.

4. Prep onions by peeling, cutting off the root end, and slicing them parallel to the poles.

5. Prep scallions by cutting off the stem end, cutting the greens into approx 2”/5cm pieces and cutting the whites into smaller ½”/1cm pieces. 

6. Cut bell pepper into planks, removing as much of the white pith as possible. Julienne, but not too thin. 

7. Peel carrot and cut into small match sticks, similar in size to the peppers.  

8. Remove shitake stems and slice caps into thin planks

9. Heat large nonstick or well seasoned cast iron over medium high heat then add a squeeze of olive oil (a tablespoon or so) followed by the marinated beef and mushrooms. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes or until mushrooms have lost their water and the beef has browned.  

10. Transfer beef and mushrooms to a large bowl then return the pan to medium high heat and wipe it out to prevent sugary soy sauce left in the pan from burning. 

11. Add a small squeeze of olive oil (about a tablespoon) followed by onions, scallions, and a pinch of salt. Saute over medium to medium high heat for 3-4 minutes. You’re looking to sweat the onions and slightly brown them, but keep some of their snappy texture. Transfer to the bowl with meat and mushrooms. 

12. Return pan to medium heat, add another small squeeze of oil followed by carrots, peppers, and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add a couple of spoonfuls of water to create steam in the pan. Cook for another minute or so until softened, but still snappy. Transfer to bowl with meat and onions. 

13. Return pan to medium high heat, add another small squeeze of oil, shitakes and a pinch of salt. After sauteeing for 2-3 minutes, add in a bit of water as you did for the carrots/peppers. Skip the water if you’re using a button or portabella mushroom. When the mushrooms have browned and are about half of their original size, transfer them to the cooked veggie/meat bowl. 

14. Return the pan to medium heat and wipe it out. Pour egg yolks into the middle of the pan and rotate the pan around to spread out the yolk and create a larger, thin layer. When the yolk has JUST set on the first side, flip it over and cook on the back side for 5–10 seconds or just enough time to set it. Move to a cutting board and slice the cooked yolk into thin strips similar in size to carrots and peppers. 

15. Back to the pot of water which should be boiling by now…salt the water well, then add in the spinach. Cook for about 30 seconds until wilted, but still bright green. Remove spinach with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and transfer it to a towel to drain. Press firmly with towels to remove as much moisture as possible before adding it in to the bowl with the rest of the veggies. 

16. Into the same pot of boiling water that you just pulled the spinach from, add in the sweet potato noodles. Cook until bouncy, but not mushy. This will likely be less time than package instructs. Taste as they’re cooking to determine doneness. Once cooked, drain noodles, cut them 2-3 times, then rinse with cold water to keep them from sticking together. 

17. Heat the large saute pan one more time over medium high heat, then add in a squeeze of oil followed by the noodles. Fry for 2-3 minutes to cook off any the extra moisture.  

18. Add in about half of the japchae sauce (recipe above) and stir and toss with the noodles to coat. When sauce is reduced slightly and coating the noodles well, add the sauced noodles into the bowl with the cooked veggies along with a generous sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, a good amount of black pepper, and the remaining japchae sauce. Toss and fold to combine and evenly distribute the veggies and noodles.  

19. Plate up and garnish with additional black pepper and toasted sesame seeds.