How to make it
7 steps. Take it one step at a time.
Cook the sweet potato noodles
Cook the sweet potato noodles in a large pot of boiling water for about 7 minutes or until chewy and translucent. Drain and rinse with cold water. Use scissors to cut the noodles into manageable lengths (about 15-20 cm).
7 minBlanch the spinach
Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds. Rinse in cold water, squeeze out excess moisture, and mix with a pinch of salt and a drop of sesame oil.
1 minMarinate the sliced beef and shiitake mushrooms
Marinate the sliced beef and shiitake mushrooms with half of the minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes.
10 minHeat vegetable oil
In a large skillet or wok, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the onions and carrots with a pinch of salt until softened (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from pan and set aside.
3 minStir-fry the marinated beef and mushrooms
In the same pan, stir-fry the marinated beef and mushrooms until the beef is fully cooked through.
5 minAdd the cooked noodles, sautéed vegetables, and blanched spinach
Add the cooked noodles, sautéed vegetables, and blanched spinach to the pan with the beef. Pour in the remaining soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and sesame oil. Toss everything together over low heat until well combined and heated through.
3 minGarnish with toasted sesame seeds
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve warm or at room temperature.
A little kitchen wisdom
Authentic Japchae often features individual stir-frying of each vegetable to preserve their unique colors and textures. Ensure you use toasted sesame oil for the most aromatic result.
