Show me one person who dislikes noodles. I have not met anybody who does not enjoy them. Today, we are cooking Korean glass noodles, a.k.a. Japchea. Japchea means “mixture of vegetables” and it is a colorful dish that is a staple of every Korean celebration.
Japchea
INGREDIENTS:
For the meat:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch knob of ginger, grated
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
For the eggs:
3 large eggs, beaten
For the vegetables:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
10 ounces baby spinach
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 large carrots, julienned
1 red pepper, julienned
For the noodles:
10 ounces sweet potato starch noodles
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil,
1 teaspoon sugar
2 garlic cloves minced
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Meat: in a medium bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and rice vinegar. Add the meat and toss well so the meat is covered in the marinade. Marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes (or as long as it takes you to prepare the rest of the ingredients, but do not leave meat at room temperature for more than 1 hour).
In a wok or a large sautéing pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat with the marinade and cook it, stirring constantly until meat is no longer pink inside and lightly browned, for about 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked meat to a large mixing bowl.
Eggs: Coat a medium, nonstick skillet with your favorite cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, add the eggs and swirl them around until they cover the entire bottom of the pan. Cook, without stirring, until firm and cooked through. Remove from the skillet into a cutting board. Cut eggs into small pieces once they have cooled. Transfer to the same bowl as the meat.
Vegetables: In the wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Cook spinach until wilted and most of the liquid have evaporated, for about 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic in the last minute of cooking the spinach. Toss the spinach with the sesame oil and transfer to the large mixing bowl.
In the same wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, green onions and cook until the onions are translucent, for about 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl. Next, cook the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon oil, until they are lightly browned, for about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Next, cook carrots and peppers for about 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl
Noodles: Cook the sweet potatoes noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse well under cold running water. If noodles are too long, use kitchen shears to cut them into “manageable” length. Toss the noodles with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and garlic. Transfer to the mixing bowl. Mix all the ingredients in the mixing bowl gently with your (clean) hands. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
