Foolproof Chewy Japchae Recipe
The Crown Jewel of Holiday Feasts, Japchae! After Over 10 Failures, I’m Finally Revealing My Ultimate Recipe!
Delicious Japchae that makes your mouth water just by looking at it! Does it seem complicated to make at home? I often ended up with sticky, clumpy noodles, failing at Japchae more than 10 times. But if you follow this recipe, you’ll be able to make amazing Japchae with perfectly chewy noodles and abundant ingredients without any failures! Let me share the secret to the best Japchae that your family will rave about!
Japchae Ingredients- 300g Glass noodles
- 300g Beef or pork for stir-fry (Japchae cut)
- 1/3 Carrot
- 100g Spinach
- 1 Onion
- 5-6 Shiitake mushrooms
Meat Marinade- 2 Tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp Mirin (Rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp Sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp Minced garlic
- Pinch of black pepper
Japchae Sauce- 4 Tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp Sesame oil
- 1.5 Tbsp Corn syrup or Oligosaccharide
- 1 Tsp Tuna extract (for extra umami!)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 2 Tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp Mirin (Rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp Sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp Minced garlic
- Pinch of black pepper
Japchae Sauce- 4 Tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp Sesame oil
- 1.5 Tbsp Corn syrup or Oligosaccharide
- 1 Tsp Tuna extract (for extra umami!)
- Pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare 300g of glass noodles. Soak them in a mixture of equal parts hot and cold water for 20 minutes until fully softened. This allows the noodles to become tender without being mushy when stir-fried, as they will continue to cook.
Step 2
Marinate 300g of your chosen meat (beef or pork, Japchae cut) with the ‘Meat Marinade’ ingredients: 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp mirin, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, and a pinch of black pepper. Gently mix and let it sit for about 10 minutes for the flavors to penetrate the meat.
Step 3
Now, let’s prepare the vegetables. Thinly slice 1 onion and 1/3 carrot. Remove the stems from 5-6 shiitake mushrooms and slice them appropriately. Wash the spinach thoroughly and set it aside.
Step 4
Lightly grease a wide pan with cooking oil. Stir-fry the onion, carrot, and spinach separately. Add 3-4 pinches of salt to each vegetable while stir-frying to enhance their individual flavors. Once stir-fried, set the vegetables aside to cool slightly.
Step 5
Using the same pan, add the marinated meat and shiitake mushrooms. Stir-fry until the meat is fully cooked. Set the cooked meat and mushrooms aside separately.
Step 6
It’s time to create the Japchae sauce, the key to its deliciousness. In the same pan, combine all the ‘Japchae Sauce’ ingredients: 4 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp cooking oil, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 1.5 Tbsp corn syrup, 1 tsp tuna extract, and a pinch of black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add 1 cup (200ml) of water and let it simmer briefly.
Step 7
Rinse the softened glass noodles under cold water and drain them thoroughly. Add the drained noodles to the simmering soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry over medium heat, allowing the noodles to absorb the sauce and thicken. Be sure to stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Step 8
Now, it’s time to assemble all the components! In a large bowl, combine the stir-fried noodles, prepared vegetables, meat, and mushrooms. Drizzle with a little extra sesame oil and gently toss everything together until well combined. Your glossy and flavorful Japchae is now ready! It’s best enjoyed while warm.
