Mushroom Japchae
Healthy and Simple Wellbeing Side Dish Recipe: Delicious Mushroom Japchae
I found some oyster mushrooms in the fridge and wondered what to make. I decided to try making a simplified, unique, and healthy dish inspired by Japchae. This mushroom stir-fry makes a delicious side dish for rice! It’s a wellbeing Japchae made with mushrooms, which are great for health and dieting. It’s very easy if you think of it as using mushrooms instead of glass noodles. I also had some fish cakes, so I sliced them thinly and added them, making it look even more like Japchae. I’ll show you how to make this chewy and delicious dish using mushrooms.
Main Ingredients- Oyster mushrooms (300g) – 1 pack
- Fish cake (110g) – 1 sheet
- Green bell pepper (50g)
- Yellow bell pepper (50g)
- Cherry tomatoes (6)
Seasoning- Soy sauce (3 Tbsp)
- Oligosaccharide (1 Tbsp)
- Plum extract (1 Tbsp) (if unavailable, use 2 Tbsp oligosaccharide)
- Minced garlic (1/2 Tbsp)
- Cooking oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Dried basil
- Soy sauce (3 Tbsp)
- Oligosaccharide (1 Tbsp)
- Plum extract (1 Tbsp) (if unavailable, use 2 Tbsp oligosaccharide)
- Minced garlic (1/2 Tbsp)
- Cooking oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Dried basil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash all your vegetables and mushrooms thoroughly. For the oyster mushrooms, trim off the tough ends and gently shake them to remove any dust or impurities. You might be surprised how much comes off, so be sure to clean them well.
Step 2
Next, remove the seeds from the green and yellow bell peppers, then thinly slice them into strips, similar to how you’ll slice the fish cake. Slicing everything to a similar size ensures even cooking and a more appealing presentation.
Step 3
Wash the cherry tomatoes, remove their stems, and cut each one into four wedges.
Step 4
While you’re preparing the ingredients, get a pot of water boiling on the stove. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add 1/3 Tbsp of salt. First, add the oyster mushrooms and blanch them briefly – just long enough to soften slightly. Immediately remove them and rinse under cold water, then squeeze out excess moisture. Next, add the fish cake to the boiling water and blanch it for just a few seconds – it’s already cooked, so you only need to warm it through. Drain and remove any excess water. Be careful not to overcook the fish cake as it can become mushy.
Step 5
Gently pull apart the blanched oyster mushrooms into bite-sized strands. Place the blanched fish cake in a colander to ensure all the water drains away.
Step 6
Now, let’s make the delicious sauce. In a small bowl, combine 3 Tbsp of soy sauce, 1 Tbsp of oligosaccharide, 1 Tbsp of plum extract, and 1/2 Tbsp of minced garlic. Mix well. If you don’t have plum extract, you can substitute it with 2 Tbsp of oligosaccharide. Stir in the quartered cherry tomatoes and a pinch of dried basil. The plum extract adds a lovely sweet and tart note that complements the tomatoes beautifully.
Step 7
Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium heat. Add the julienned green and yellow bell peppers. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and stir-fry until the colors become vibrant but the peppers are still slightly crisp. Avoid overcooking them.
Step 8
Add the fish cake and prepared oyster mushrooms to the pan with the bell peppers. Pour in the prepared sauce, along with the cherry tomatoes and dried basil. Stir everything together and cook, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly and coat the ingredients evenly. Keep an eye on it to prevent burning.
Step 9
Since the mushrooms and fish cakes already have some seasoning, you likely won’t need to add more salt. Finish by adding a couple of twists of black pepper, a drizzle of sesame oil for aroma, and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Your delicious Mushroom Japchae is now ready to serve! It’s best enjoyed warm.
