Japchae (Korean Stir-fry Glass Noodle with Vegetables)

Japchae (Chap Chae) is korean sweet potato starch noodles (dangmyeon).  The noodles are fried with varios types of vegetables like onion, mushroom, paprika, carrot and spinach, which makes it healthy and if you are a vegetarian, try it out and you will love this dish!  For non-vegetarian recipe, you can add chicken, pork or beef into this recipe.  The noodle has a springy and chewy texture which is so irressitable~  ^^

Ingredients:
Serving size: 2-3 person
Korean glass noodle (dangmyeon)                                                250g
Onion (medium) - cut into stripes                                                 1
Paprika (Red, yellow, green) cut into stripes                                half each
Shitake mushroom - cut into stripes                                              4-5 pieces
Chicken breast meat - cut into stripes                                           300g
Minced garlic                                                                                1 tbsp
Soy sauce                                                                                      2 tbsp
Sesame oil                                                                                     1 tbsp
Salt                                                                                                sprinkle
Cooking oil                                                                                   1-2 tbsp
Sesame seeds                                                                                for garnish
Spring onion                                                                                 for garnish

 

 

Steps by steps photos:

 

 

 

 

 

1.  Boil 1 pot of water (about 1 liter or enough to cover the glass noodles).

2.  When the water is boiled, put in glass noodles and cook for 10-15 minutes (or until the noodle is soft) over high heat.

3.  Drain the water and put one and a half tablespoon of sesame oil over the noodle.  Slightly toss the noodle to blend in the sesame oil.  Set aside.

4.  Prepare a pan, add some cooking oil to fry the onion.  Sprinkle some salt over the onion when frying.  Fry for 2 minutes over low heat.  Remove the onion to a plate and set aside.

5.  Add some cooking oil to the pan and fry paprika.  Sprinkle some salt over the paprika and fry for 2 minutes over low heat.  Remove the paprika to a plate and set aside.

6.  Add some cooking oil to the frying pan and add in chicken meat stripes.  Fry for 3 minutes over low heat and add in mushrooms and minced garlic.  Sprinkle some salt and continue frying for another 2 minutes over low heat.

7.  Place all the fried vegetables (onion & parika) back into the frying pan and mix in with the chicken meat and mushrooms.

8.  Add in cooked glass noodles and stir fry for a while to mix in all the ingredients. 

9.  Add soy sauce to your taste and sesame oil, toss and fry the noodles for 1 minute or medium heat.

10.  Serve and garnish with some chopped spring onion and sesame seeds.

 

**Step 3 - This step is to prevent the glass noodle from stick to each other and easier to toss and fry later.

*** Instead of adding the glass noodle back into the pan and fry, you can just add the cooked veggies to the noodle and mix with hand.  But, I got a tip from my mother in law that by frying the noodle, it can prevent the dish from spoiling too soon and can be kept in fridge for days.  If you have some leftover, just keep in the fridge and warm up whenever you feel like eating.  ^_^