Chewy Shiitake Mushroom Japchae: A Delicious Meatless Recipe
How to Make Chewy Shiitake Mushroom Japchae, A Meatless Japchae Recipe
This Japchae is packed with chewy shiitake mushrooms, making it incredibly delicious even without meat. ^^
Main Ingredients
- 10 dried shiitake mushrooms (or fresh shiitake mushrooms)
- 200g glass noodles
- 1/4 red bell pepper
- 1/4 yellow bell pepper
- 1/2 onion
- 1 bunch chives
- 1/8 carrot
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
For Cooking Noodles
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
Shiitake Mushroom Seasoning
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
Japchae Seasoning
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- Sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
Shiitake Mushroom Seasoning
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
Japchae Seasoning
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- Sesame seeds
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- Sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the dried shiitake mushrooms and glass noodles. It’s best to soak them in water about 30 minutes before you start cooking. If you don’t have dried shiitake mushrooms, fresh ones work well too! However, dried shiitake mushrooms will give you a chewier texture.
Step 2
Once soaked for 30 minutes, squeeze the excess water from the shiitake mushrooms and slice them thinly. In a bowl, combine 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil, and 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic. Gently mix the mushrooms to coat them with the seasoning. This step enhances the mushroom’s flavor.
Step 3
Now it’s time to prepare the vegetables. Remove the stems and seeds from the red and yellow bell peppers, then slice them thinly. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Slice the carrot thinly to a similar thickness. Wash the chives and cut them into approximately 2cm lengths.
Step 4
Next, let’s cook the glass noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 2 Tbsp soy sauce. Once boiling, add the soaked glass noodles and cook for about 3 minutes. Since they’ve already been soaked, they will cook quickly. Drain the cooked noodles in a colander and rinse them under cold water to cool them down. This prevents them from sticking together and keeps them pleasantly firm.
Step 5
While the noodles are cooling, stir-fry the vegetables. Heat some oil in a pan, add 1 Tbsp minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Then, add the onion and carrot and stir-fry. When the onion becomes slightly translucent, add the bell peppers and continue to stir-fry. Finally, add the chives and stir-fry briefly until they just begin to wilt to maintain their crispness. Transfer the stir-fried vegetables to a separate bowl.
Step 6
Lastly, stir-fry the seasoned shiitake mushrooms. Cook them over high heat, stirring constantly, to evaporate the moisture released from the mushrooms. Cooking them until they are slightly crispy will result in an even chewier and more flavorful mushroom.
Step 7
Now it’s time to combine everything. In a large bowl, add the cooked glass noodles, stir-fried vegetables, and sautéed shiitake mushrooms. Add the Japchae seasoning: 4 Tbsp soy sauce, 3 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp sesame oil, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Gently mix everything together until well combined. You can adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Step 8
Your colorful and delicious Japchae, generously filled with chewy shiitake mushrooms, is now complete! Enjoy this delightful dish.
