Vegan Korean Stir Fry Noodles: Japchae

Among other side dishes, japchae was always sold at our local Korean supermarkets fresh and ready to eat—and I was ALWAYS ready to eat it. Our new home isn’t close to any Korean stores, so I decided that I had to make this for myself. My version is loaded with lots and lots of veggies, as the name japchae literally means “mixture of vegetables.”

Japchae is relatively time-consuming to make, as each vegetable must be stir-fried separately before being mixed together in a colorful dish. Trust me, the hassle is worth it. By cooking each vegetable separately, you ensure that each ingredient optimally maintains it’s own taste and color without becoming a muddled mess of some overcooked, some undercooked parts (nothing against tossing everything into a wok though, because that’s how I usually cook).

Vegan Korean Stir Fry Noodles: Japchae
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 8 oz dry sweet potato glass noodles
• 8 oz five spice pressed bean curd, thinly sliced
• 1 medium sweet onion, julienned
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 8 oz baby spinach
• 6 fresh or rehydrated shiitake mushrooms
• ½ cup rehydrated wood ear mushrooms
• 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 tbsp tamari/soy sauce
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
  
  

Directions

1. Whisk together sesame oil, tamari/soy sauce, sugar, sesame seeds, and garlic in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Boil a pot of water and blanch spinach until just wilted. Drain and lightly season with salt and black pepper.
3. Cook glass noodles according to packaging. Drain and cut the noodles to around 6-inch segments and mix in half of the prepared sauce.
4. Heat a bit of oil in a wok over medium heat. Add noodles and stir fry until sticky for around 3-4 minutes. Transfer noodles to a separate bowl with the spinach and set aside.
5. Add more oil as necessary and stir fry the onions, carrots, and bell pepper separately before adding them to the noodles. I work from lightest to darkest so the color transfer from the wok is minimal.
6. Add oil and stir fry the shiitake and wood ear mushrooms together, seasoning with around 1 tbsp of the prepared sauce. Transfer to the bowl.
7. Add oil and cook the bean curd until they begin to brown, then add the minced garlic. Season with around 1 tbsp of the prepared sauce and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Add to the bowl with all other ingredients and pour over the remaining sauce.
8. Use your hands to toss the noodles together and adjust seasoning with more soy sauce and/or sugar if needed.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature as a side dish or main course.

Per serving: 478 calories: 74 g carbs; 17.6 g fat; 13.8 g protein