Spicy Japchae
Spicy Japchae
Ingredients
For the Japchae
- 7 ounces Korean potato starch noodles
- 1 carrot, sliced into matchsticks
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 scallions, cut into 3 inch slices
- 1/2 pound beef, thinly sliced
- 9 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons gochugaru
- as needed neutral oil
For the Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, or honey
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup black pepper
Instructions
- 1
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar (or honey), sesame oil, minced garlic, roasted sesame seeds, and black pepper until well combined. Set aside.
⏱️ 3 min
- 2
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a shallow sauté pan. Add the Korean potato starch noodles and boil for 8 minutes. Drain the noodles, then rinse them thoroughly with cold water to prevent sticking. Use kitchen shears to roughly cut the long noodles into more manageable lengths. Transfer the noodles to a large mixing bowl.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Add 3 tablespoons of the prepared sauce to the noodles in the large mixing bowl and mix well to coat. Set aside.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
In the same sauté pan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the fresh spinach and blanch for just 15 seconds. Immediately drain the spinach and squeeze out as much water as possible. Place the blanched spinach into a small bowl and add 1 teaspoon of salt, mixing it in thoroughly.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Heat a drizzle of neutral oil (or 2 tablespoons of sesame oil as per original caption) in the sauté pan over low heat. Add the seasoned noodles and mix in the gochugaru until the noodles are evenly coated and take on a reddish-orange color.
⏱️ 4 min
- 6
Remove the sautéed noodles from the pan and return them to the large mixing bowl.
⏱️ 1 min
- 7
Add the cooked and seasoned spinach to the noodle bowl with the noodles.
⏱️ 1 min
- 8
Add more neutral oil to the sauté pan. Add the sliced carrots, sliced yellow onions, and sliced scallions. Sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat until the vegetables are slightly softened. Remove the cooked vegetables from the pan and add them to the noodle bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Drizzle more neutral oil into the pan. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and thinly sliced beef. Pour 3 tablespoons of the prepared sauce over the mushrooms and beef. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fully cooked and browned. Pour the cooked mushrooms and beef into the noodle bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Pour the remaining sauce into the noodle bowl with all the other ingredients. Mix everything together thoroughly until well combined. Garnish with additional sliced scallions and roasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later enjoyment.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Spicy Japchae
For the Japchae
- 7 ounces Korean potato starch noodles
- 1 carrot, sliced into matchsticks
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 scallions, cut into 3 inch slices
- 1/2 pound beef, thinly sliced
- 9 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons gochugaru
- as needed neutral oil
For the Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, or honey
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup black pepper
Instructions
- 1
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar (or honey), sesame oil, minced garlic, roasted sesame seeds, and black pepper until well combined. Set aside.
⏱️ 3 min - 2
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a shallow sauté pan. Add the Korean potato starch noodles and boil for 8 minutes. Drain the noodles, then rinse them thoroughly with cold water to prevent sticking. Use kitchen shears to roughly cut the long noodles into more manageable lengths. Transfer the noodles to a large mixing bowl.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Add 3 tablespoons of the prepared sauce to the noodles in the large mixing bowl and mix well to coat. Set aside.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
In the same sauté pan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the fresh spinach and blanch for just 15 seconds. Immediately drain the spinach and squeeze out as much water as possible. Place the blanched spinach into a small bowl and add 1 teaspoon of salt, mixing it in thoroughly.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Heat a drizzle of neutral oil (or 2 tablespoons of sesame oil as per original caption) in the sauté pan over low heat. Add the seasoned noodles and mix in the gochugaru until the noodles are evenly coated and take on a reddish-orange color.
⏱️ 4 min - 6
Remove the sautéed noodles from the pan and return them to the large mixing bowl.
⏱️ 1 min - 7
Add the cooked and seasoned spinach to the noodle bowl with the noodles.
⏱️ 1 min - 8
Add more neutral oil to the sauté pan. Add the sliced carrots, sliced yellow onions, and sliced scallions. Sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat until the vegetables are slightly softened. Remove the cooked vegetables from the pan and add them to the noodle bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Drizzle more neutral oil into the pan. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and thinly sliced beef. Pour 3 tablespoons of the prepared sauce over the mushrooms and beef. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fully cooked and browned. Pour the cooked mushrooms and beef into the noodle bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Pour the remaining sauce into the noodle bowl with all the other ingredients. Mix everything together thoroughly until well combined. Garnish with additional sliced scallions and roasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later enjoyment.
⏱️ 5 min