Korean Glass Noodles (Jap Chae)

I love Korean food. I think I would marry Kimchi and Korean Rice Cakes if I could (and if it wasn't such a weird idea).

Korean Glass Noodles, are also on that list of to-marry's. What I'm going to produce here is possibly not the most authentic recipe for Japchae, but it's simply my attempt at reproducing the stuff in the comfort of my home.

Now, given the sad state of my fridge and pantry yet again, I ask you kindly to imagine that you see carrots somewhere in that picture of ingredients, and that I DID NOT buy ready-sliced shiitake mushrooms.

I emphasis that latter part. My food-conscience is eating me up alive.

The recipe itself is pretty straight forward. First, boil your potato noodles until they are tender. Strain and toss with a few drops of sesame oil to prevent sticking.

Just remember to use sesame oil sparingly. One or two drops will go a long way.

Next, stir fry your vegetable juliennes. This is where you imagine strips of orange bits in my wok.Slowly get everything else in the pan. Season with soy sauce and SUGAR. Don't forget the sugar. It helps balance the saltiness of the soy sauce on your tastebuds.

When everything is cooked, toss the glass noodles back into the wok and briefly reheat the noodles and mixing all the vegies through. Drop 2 more drops of sesame oil and serve on a platter.

And hopefully, if you followed those steps, you'll end up with this:


Korean Glass Noodles (Jap Chae)
Serves: 4 (entree portions)

Buy:
1/4 bunch of choy (or roughly two sticks), chopped into 5cm lengths
1/2 carrot, julienned
1 handful of rehydrated black fungus
1 handful of rehydrated shittake mushrooms, sliced
1 coil of sweet potato noodles
2 small blocks of five spice firm bean curd, julienned
1/2 onion, sliced
1 stick celery, julienned
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
2 spring onions, chopped into 5cm lengths (or sliced)

2 tblsp soy sauce
1 tblsp Lee Kum Kee Soy Sauce for Steaming
1 tsp sugar
1 tblsp cooking oil
Sesame Oil
Toasted Sesame, to garnish

Cook:

1. Boil sweet potato noodles until just tender.
2. Drain and toss with 2 or 3 drops of sesame oil, set aside.
3. In a wok, heat cooking oil and fry onion, bean curd and celery
4. After onions are transparent, add black fungus, garlic, mushrooms and choy and stir fry until almost tender.
5. Season with soy sauce and sugar
6. Add noodles into wok and toss around
7. Remove from heat and drizzle 2 or 3 drops more of sesame oil. Toss gently
8. Serve on a large dish, garnish with toasted sesame

Nom it hot or cold. It's great either way.