Golden Ratio! Clean and Delicious Japchae Recipe (No Greasiness)
A Must-Have for Holidays and Feasts! Clean and Delicious Japchae Recipe
Japchae is a classic Korean dish that requires a lot of effort but is incredibly rewarding to make. It’s an essential dish for any feast! Learn the secret to making perfectly clean and delicious japchae without any greasiness. Make your special occasions even more memorable with this crowd-pleasing japchae.
Main Ingredients- 150g Dangmyeon (Glass Noodles)
- 2 sheets Fish Cakes (Eomuk)
- 100g Pork (for Japchae)
- 50g Mushrooms (e.g., Shiitake)
- 1/3 Carrot
- 1/3 bunch Spinach
- 1/2 Onion
Japchae Seasoning- 5 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- Pinch of Black Pepper
Pork Marinating Seasoning- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Sugar
- Pinch of Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Mirin or Cooking Wine (Optional)
- 5 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- Pinch of Black Pepper
Pork Marinating Seasoning- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Sugar
- Pinch of Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Mirin or Cooking Wine (Optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s marinate the pork to enhance the flavor of the japchae. In a bowl, combine the pork with 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and a pinch of black pepper. Mix well. If you’re concerned about any porky smell, you can add 1 Tbsp of mirin or cooking wine and a little minced garlic for extra flavor. Let it marinate for about 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.
Step 2
Prepare the vegetables that will add texture to your japchae. Thinly slice the carrot and onion into matchsticks. If using shiitake mushrooms, remove the stems and tear them lengthwise into thin strips. Slice the fish cakes thinly as well.
Step 3
Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium heat. Add the sliced carrots and sauté until they begin to soften. Then, add the sliced onions and stir-fry them together. A pinch of salt at this stage can enhance the sweetness of the vegetables and add a subtle seasoning. Once the vegetables appear translucent, remove them from the pan and set aside.
Step 4
This step is a useful technique for dishes where you sauté vegetables before adding other ingredients. For items like fish cakes, burdock root, or even rice cakes, you can add the japchae seasoning directly when stir-frying them. However, in this recipe, we’ll focus on cooking each ingredient individually to preserve its unique flavor.
Step 5
Now it’s time to cook the marinated pork. Slightly heat the pan, and add the marinated pork without any extra oil. As the pork cooks, it will release some moisture. Be mindful of the heat, as the sugar in the marinade can cause it to burn. Cook over medium or low heat, stirring gently, until the pork is fully cooked and has changed color.
Step 6
Blanch the spinach and mushrooms separately. Briefly boil the spinach in hot water until it turns bright green, then rinse under cold water and gently squeeze out excess moisture. Season lightly with salt. For the mushrooms, you can either blanch them briefly or use them as they are (without stir-frying) to retain their natural earthy flavor.
Step 7
Once all your ingredients are prepped, it’s time to cook the dangmyeon (glass noodles). Boil the noodles in water, cooking them for about 1-2 minutes longer than the time indicated on the package. Drain the cooked noodles and rinse them under cold water to remove excess starch. Cut them into bite-sized pieces with scissors. Transfer all the prepared vegetables, pork, and fish cakes into a large bowl.
Step 8
Now, let’s season the dangmyeon. In a separate bowl, combine the dangmyeon with the japchae seasoning: 5 Tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, and a pinch of black pepper. Gently mix and massage the seasoning into the noodles, allowing them to absorb the flavors. Seasoning the noodles first ensures they are well-flavored and not bland.
Step 9
Finally, combine the seasoned noodles with all the prepared ingredients in the large bowl. Mix everything together thoroughly, preferably by hand, ensuring all ingredients are evenly coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed by adding more japchae seasoning a little at a time. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds for an extra nutty flavor. Your delicious and clean-tasting japchae is now ready to be enjoyed!
