Chapchae Recipe
Chapchae
(AKA Japchae and Chopchae)
Korean Glass Noodle Stir Fry
Submitted By: Taz

Ingredients:

½ lb Beef Sirloin (Soegogi Deungshim)* - thin cut and sliced into 'ribbons'
½ lb Baby Spinach (Sigeumchi) - thoroughly washed
12 oz package Sweet Potato Glass Noodles (Dangmyeon)
5 Shitake Mushrooms (Pyogo Beoseos)** - sliced
3 Green Onions (Pa) - small chopped
2 cloves Fresh Garlic (Maneul) - minced
1 Sweet Onion (Dan Yangpa) - sliced thin
½ Cup Napa Cabbage (Baechu)*** - chopped
3 Tbs Korean Soy Sauce (Guk Ganjang)
2 Tbs Olive Oil (Ollibeuyu) - can substitute canola, vegetable, grape seed, or avocado oil
2 Tbs Toasted Sesame Oil (Chamgireum) - divided
1 tsp Granulated Sugar (Sultang)
1 Tbs Toasted White Sesame Seeds (Bokken Chamggae)
-OPTIONAL-
2 Carrots (Dang-Geun) - peeled and cut into matchsticks

Preparation:
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil - Add spinach and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes
  2. Remove spinach from water using a spider/skimmer and transfer to an ice water bath to stop cooking (DO NOT DRAIN POT OR REMOVE FROM HEAT)
  3. Use the same boiling water to cook the glass noodles according to manufacturer's directions - Drain and set aside
  4. Drain blanched spinach and allow to sit in a strainer or colander until needed
  5. Heat olive oil and 1 Tbs of the sesame oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat until shimmering
  6. Once oil is heated, add garlic and sweet onion and stir fry for 30 seconds
  7. Add pork (or beef/tofu) and continue to stir fry for 1 minute
  8. Add mushroom, green onion, cabbage/bok choy, and carrots (if using) - Continue to stir fry for 4-5 minutes (vegetables should still be 'crisp' not soft)
  9. Add blanched spinach and thoroughly combine
  10. Reduce heat to low - Add cooked and drained noodles, soy sauce, and sugar - Toss to combine and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes just to heat everything through
  11. Add sesame seeds and remaining Tbs of sesame oil - thoroughly combine
  12. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot on its own or as part of a complete Korean meal OR serve over steamed rice as the dish Chapchae-bap
    * Can substitute Pork Tenderloin (Dwaeji Gogi Anshim) OR Firm Tofu (Dubu) if desired
  ** Can Substitute ½ Cup Re-hydrated Wood Ear Mushroom (Inhu Beoseos) thinly sliced
*** Can Substitute ½ Cup chopped Baby Bok Choy (Cheongyeongchae)if desired

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