Japchae – Eating Like the Royals
In this video we will show you how to prepare one of the most Koreans’ favorite noodle dishes. It is called JAPCHAE, which basically means „stirred mixed vegetables“.
Japchae dates from the 17th century when it was especially invented for the king Gwanghaegun. The king was about to give a big party and wanted to impress his guests with something new and tasty. This was the moment Jabchae was born. The king was thrilled by this delicious composition of vegetables, noodles and meat and has declared it part of the Royal cuisine. For centuries Japchae was reserved only for the king, but slowly has made its way into the kitchens of normal people. Today, it is an essential part of every Korean party table.
Japchae can be prepared either with meat or with vegetables only. Koreans typically use marinated beef (bulgogi), cut into thin slices. But you can also use pork or chicken or completely leave out the meat.
Traditionally, Japchae is prepared with carrots, onions, spinach, and shiitake mushrooms. But you can actually use any kind of vegetables and adapt the dish to your unique taste. In our video we have replaced the spinach by green beans.
First, you boil the noodles. Make sure to use the right ones, namely dangmyeon noodles which are made from sweet potato starch. Let them boil for about 2-3 minutes. The noodles are ready when they become transluscent and soft. Dangmyeon noodles are neutral in taste and therefore a great flavor carrier for all kinds of vegetables and seasonings. What’s more, they are gluten free!
Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water. Cut them with kitchen scissors into smaller pieces. Then put some vegetable oil in a pan and heat it. Put the noodles into the pan and stir-fry them for about two minutes. Add two tea spoons of sugar and some sesame oil and let them fry for another 2 minutes. Put the noodles back into the bowl and set them aside.
Next, you can fry your veggies. It is important to stir-fry them separately to ensure that each ingredient is perfectly cooked and retains its unique flavor and color. Also make sure not to burn the vegetables, but to stir-fry them only so that they become al dente. Let the onions fry until they become transluscent, not gold-brown. Concerning the mushrooms, you can also use white or other types of mushrooms. But we use shiitake simply because they are more aromatic and, due to their texture, can serve as an alternative to meat. If you use dried shiitake, make sure to let them soak in water for at least two hours before preparation.
At the end, all our ingredients should be placed in the big bowl with the noodles. Add one table spoon of soy sauce and some freshly ground black pepper and mix it all thoroughly. Arrange Japchae on plates and sprinkle each serving with roasted sesame seeds. And now your Asian dish is ready to be served!
Koreans typically serve Japchae as a main dish on a bed of rice, making it Japchae Bap (“bap” meaning rice). But you can serve it as a side dish, as well. Japchae can be enjoyed either hot or cold and is therefore also perfectly suited for light meals in the summer time.
If you want to prepare an Asian dish for the first time, start with Japchae: the preparation is fast and uncomplicated. Plus, it is really healthy because it contains lots of fresh vegetables. And even kids like it due to its light sweetness. So if you have children who loathe spinach, serve it in Japchae, they will like it!
Ingredients for about 3-4 servings
- 6 ounces dangmyeon
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
- 1-2 carrots, julienned
- 3 ounces green beans, trimmed
- 1 sweet onion, sliced into thin strips
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms (pyogo), rehydrated and thinly sliced
- Vegetable oil for frying the noodles and vegetables
- 2-3 tea spoons sesame oil
- Roasted sesame seeds
- 1 table spoon soy sauce
- 2 tea spoons sugar
- 1 pinch of salt