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Vegetarian Japchae


  • Author: Seonkyoung Longest
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the Shiitake

  • 10 to 12 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp mirin (Seasoned rice wine, if you don’t have it, leave it out)
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped
  • A pinch of black pepper

For the Vegetables & Noodles

  • 12 oz spinach (1 large bunch), cleaned
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped
  • 14 to 16 oz Korean sweet potato noodle, Dangmyeon
  • 1/2 medium-size onion, thinly sliced
  • 8 oz fresh mushrooms, cut into bite sizes
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, julienne
  • 1 medium-size carrot, julienne
  • 1 red chili, seeded and julienne, optional
  • salt and vegetable oil

For the Sauce

  • ⅓ cup soy sauce
  • ⅓ cup sugar or agave nectar
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Soak shiitake in hot water for 20 minutes or until softened. Squeeze all the water out and sliced. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sliced shiitake and the rest of the ingredients for the shiitake. Let it marinate while preparing other ingredients.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt. Add the spinach, and cook for about 10 seconds, not much longer. Remove the spinach from the boiling water to a strainer. Let it cool slightly then squeeze out excess water gently. Mix with the garlic, a pinch of salt, pepper, and sesame oil, and set aside.
  3. In the same water, cook the Korean sweet potato noodles. Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Meanwhile, noodles are cooking, let’s cook the rest of the vegetables.
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp oil and the sliced onion. Season with a pinch of salt, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the onion from the pan, and place it in a bowl where you will mix the Japchae. Same for the mushrooms.
  5. Add 1 tsp oil to the same pan and the yellow pepper with a pinch of salt. Sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl. Add 1 tsp oil to the pan, carrot, and a pinch of salt. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the carrot from the pan.
  6. Add 1 tsp oil and add the marinated shiitake to the pan. Sauté for 2 to 5 minutes or until shiitake is cooked through and all moisture has evaporated. Remove from the pan.
  7. Drain the cooked noodles (Do not rinse!) and add to the mixing bowl where all the vegetables are. Whisk all ingredients for the sauce in a bowl, and set aside.
  8. Cut the noodles as needed, if you prefer. Pour 2/3 of the sauce into the noodles and gently mix until the noodles absolve all of the sauce. Pour the rest of the sauce, and toss gently to combine the noodles and vegetables with a hand and tongs. Garnish Japchae with some additional sesame seeds. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Make sure to sauté the vegetables from light colors to dark colors so the vegetables will remain the beautiful colors of their own.
  • Add more sesame oil while sautéing shiitake mushrooms as needed.
  • Add 1 tbsp of mirin or water to deglaze the pan as needed.
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins