This might be the first time you’re hearing the words sweet potato starch noodles, but I promise it won’t be the last. Japchae is one of those dishes that has no business being as good as it is—slippery glass noodles tangled with veg, a savoury-sweet sauce that hits every corner of your palate, and enough sesame oil to make your kitchen smell like a Korean grandma’s in the best possible way.
Let’s talk about the noodles. They’re called dangmyeon—translucent, bouncy, and slightly chewy in the most satisfying way. You’ll find them at most Asian grocery stores or online.
As for veg, I use carrots, spinach, button mushrooms, rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms, and red peppers. Each vegetable is cooked separately so they keep their individual flavour and texture; the carrots stay sweet and crisp, the mushrooms hold onto their earthiness, and the spinach wilts down just enough without turning sad and soggy. Each element tastes like itself, which is the whole point.
The ratio of vegetables to noodles here skews heavily towards the veg. It’s a personal preference. I like every bite to be packed with colour and crunch, rather than having the noodles dominate. But if you’re a noodle maximalist, feel free to scale up the dangmyeon and make it yours.
This version is completely vegetarian but if you’re feeling extra, go ahead and add some beef or chicken. Just steam or stir-fry thin strips of either first and toss them in at the end.
The sauce? A perfect storm of soy, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds and oil, stock cubes, and garlic. Sweet, salty, nutty—like a hug and a slap in the face at the same time (in the way all good food should be).
VEG-FORWARD JAPCHAE
Ingredients
- 250 grams Korean sweet potato starch noodles
- 1 red pepper
- 250 grams carrots
- 2 bunches of spinach
- 10 dried shiitake mushrooms (optional but recommended)
- 150 grams button mushrooms
Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 stock cubes (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
Instructions
- Prep your veg: Slice the red peppers into thin strips, discarding the stalk and inner white membrane and seeds.
- Thinly slice the mushrooms lengthwise through the stems.
- Julienne or slice the carrots into thin strips (easiest with a julienne peeler).
- Rehydrate the shiitake mushrooms in a bowl of boiling water for 10 mins. Squeeze out the water and cut into thin strips. Discard the woody stems.
- Cook each vegetable separately in a large wide pan: first add the carrots and season with salt. Sprinkle over some water and cover and cook until just tender. Remove and set aside.
- Add the button and shiitake mushrooms to the same pan. Add 1 tsp of oil and season with salt. Cook until the mushrooms brown slightly. Remove and set aside.
- Add the red peppers to the same pan. Season with salt and cook until tender-crisp. Remove and set aside.
- Pour boiling water over the spinach leaves and let it sit for 2 mins. Rinse under tap water and wring out excess moisture. Chop and set aside.
- Cook the noodles as per packet instructions. Rinse under tap water to cool it down. Set aside.
- Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients listed under 'sauce'. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Toss the noodles with the vegetables and the sauce. Taste again and adjust seasoning. Best served warm or at room temperature.
Notes
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