Japchae — Glass Noodle Preparation Science (잡채)

Ingredients

• 200 g sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon)
• 150 g beef sirloin, thinly sliced against grain
• 100 g fresh spinach
• 100 g carrot, julienned
• 100 g mushrooms (shiitake), sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 30 ml soy sauce
• 15 ml sesame oil
• 10 ml rice vinegar
• 5 g sugar
• 3 g kosher salt
• 2 g white pepper
• 30 ml neutral oil for cooking
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 green onions, cut into 5 cm lengths

Method

1. 1
   Bring salted water to boil; add glass noodles and cook 5 minutes until tender; drain, toss with 5 ml sesame oil, and set aside.
2. 2
   Combine beef with 10 ml soy sauce, 1 minced garlic clove, and white pepper; let sit 5 minutes.
3. 3
   Heat 10 ml oil in wok over high; stir-fry beef 2–3 minutes until cooked through; transfer to bowl.
4. 4
   Blanch spinach in salted boiling water 1 minute; drain, squeeze dry, toss with 2 ml sesame oil and 2 g salt.
5. 5
   Heat 5 ml oil in wok; sauté carrot and mushroom until tender-crisp, 3 minutes; season with salt.
6. 6
   In small bowl, whisk remaining soy sauce, 10 ml sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, and remaining garlic; toss with noodles and all vegetables.
7. 7
   Transfer to serving platter; top with cooked beef, spinach nest, egg yolk, and green onions; serve with sauce bowl.