Vegetarian Korean Japchae Noodle Recipe

We decided on making one of Korea’s most popular dishes, Japchae, or Glass Noodles. If you have friends or family on this or that diet, this is a dish that just might please everyone (well, except for meat-only eaters).

The key to this recipe is adding each ingredient separately - , the sweet potato takes the longest to cook, so it goes in first.

Feel free to customize! Add mushrooms (add with the onions); matchstick carrots or fresh spinach leaves (add them the same time as the kale/swiss chard).

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces dried Korean glass noodles (sweet potato)
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 4 big handfuls kale and swiss chard
• 1 onion
• 1 stalk green onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil

Directions:

PREP INGREDIENTS:

1. Boil a pot of water (about 2 quarts). Turn off heat and add in the glass noodles. Let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Vegetables:

-Kale/Swiss Chard: Fold leaves in half, tear away the leafy part from tough stem (discard stem). Cut or tear leaves into bite sized pieces.

-Dice the sweet potatoes into 1/2" dice (the smaller you dice, the quicker it will cook)

-Onion: Slice onion into thin slices.

-Green Onion: chop.

-Finely mince the garlic.

3. In bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar and sesame oil.

4. If 10 minutes have passed for the noodles, drain the noodles.

COOK:

1. Heat wok with cooking oil over medium heat. Add in the sweet potatoes and cook for 3 minutes each side. The sweet potatoes should be lightly browned, darker orange and just nearly cooked through.

2. Turn heat to medium-high and add in the onions. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, until onions become translucent.

3. Add in the garlic and green onion. Toss well and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Add in the leafy vegetables. Use tongs to toss well and cook for 1 1/2 minutes or until the vegetables are wilting.

5. Add in the noodles and pour in the sauce. Toss well again to combine everything. Finish off with sesame seeds.

Recipe Source:steamykitchen.com