Japchae

Ingredients

• 6 ounces dangmyeon (clear sweet potato noodles)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice wine
• 5 ounces beef, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and shredded
• 4 ounces fresh pyogo (shiitake) mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 3 ounces spinach, cut into 1” lengths.
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1
   Soak the dangmyeon in hot tap water until it’s fully rehydrated (20-30 minutes).
2. 2
   Mix the soy sauce, sugar, and rice wine in a bowl to combine, then take 2 tablespoons of this sauce and add it to the beef, letting it marinate while the noodles rehydrate and you prepare the rest of the vegetables. Add 1/4 cup of water to the remaining sauce.
3. 3
   When the noodles are rehydrated, drain them, and then use scissors to cut the noodles into 6” lengths.
4. 4
   In a large frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and fry until fragrant. Add the marinated beef and stir-fry until the meat is fully cooked, and then transfer the beef to a bowl.
5. 5
   Add another tablespoon of sesame oil to the pan, and then add the onions and carrots. Stir-fry until the carrots are almost cooked, then add the pyogo and bell peppers. Continue stir-frying until the carrots are fully cooked.
6. 6
   Add the dangmyeon and spinach, and then pour the sauce over everything. Stir-fry until the noodles are tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Return the beef to the pan, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, and then toss everything together. Serve immediately.