Japchae

Ingredients

• 7 ozGlass noodlesDangmyeon made from sweet potato starch, cut shorter with scissors after cooking
• 7 ozBeefcut into fine strips and marinated
• 5¼ ozSpinachblanched or briefly wilted, squeezed dry
• 1Carrotcut into matchsticks
• 1Onioncut into thin half rings
• 1Bell peppercut into thin strips
• 2Spring onioncut into bite-size pieces
• 2¾ ozShiitake mushroomsfresh or dried and soaked, sliced
• 3½ ozButton mushroomsthinly sliced
• 2Eggfried into a thin omelette and cut into strips
• 2 clovesGarlicfinely chopped or pressed
• 4 tbspSoy saucefor the marinade and for seasoning
• 3 tbspSesame oilfor marinade, seasoning and tossing
• 2 tbspSugarfor marinade and sauce
• 1 tbspSesame seedstoasted, for sprinkling
• 3 tbspVegetable oilfor frying
• Black pepperground, to taste
• Saltto taste, also for spinach and egg
• 2 tspgochugarubloomed in oil for a spicy version (optional)
• 7 ozTofuin strips, as a meat-free protein (optional)

Method

1. Prepare the shiitakeSoak dried shiitake in warm water until soft, squeeze them out well, trim off the tough stems and slice; if you're using fresh mushrooms, simply slice them.
2. Marinate the beefCut the beef into fine strips and marinate with garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar and black pepper, then keep it in the fridge until you need it.
3. Make the egg ribbonsBeat the eggs with a little salt, fry them over gentle heat into a thin omelette, roll it up and cut it into fine ribbons.
4. Prepare the spinachBlanch or briefly wilt the spinach, refresh it in cold water, squeeze it out firmly and season with a little soy sauce and sesame oil.
5. Cook the glass noodlesCook or soak the glass noodles according to the package instructions, drain, rinse under cold water and shorten them to manageable lengths with scissors.
6. Fry the vegetablesCut the onion, carrot, bell pepper and spring onion into fine strips or bite-size pieces and fry them in neutral oil with a pinch of salt until soft but still with some bite, then lift them out.
7. Fry beef and mushroomsIn the same pot or pan, fry the marinated beef together with the shiitake and button mushrooms over high heat until the meat is just cooked through.
8. Combine and seasonCombine the noodles, vegetables, spinach, beef with mushrooms and egg ribbons in a large bowl with soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar and pepper, then taste and adjust.
9. Garnish and serveSprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve warm or lukewarm.

Tips and variations

For a vegetarian japchae, use fried tofu in place of the beef or leave the meat out and let the vegetables carry the dish; skip the egg as well and it becomes vegan. Pork takes the place of the beef just as well. A spicy seafood version swaps the beef for squid and prawns and gets its heat from gochugaru bloomed in oil. Red chilli cut into rings adds an extra kick on top. Honey can stand in for the sugar as the sweetener. Enoki mushrooms join the shiitake and button mushrooms for more mushroom flavour. Instead of only boiling the noodles, you can fry them in the pan with some of the sauce before tossing everything together. Another way is to let them sit in the pot with the reserved marinade until they've soaked it up. If you want every vegetable to stay really distinct, fry each one separately rather than collecting them in the same pan. Serve japchae warm, lukewarm or cold — cold, it's ideal for meal prep or a bento.