Delicious and Hearty Chinese-Style Japchae-Bap
How to Make Authentic Chinese Restaurant-Style Japchae-Bap at Home
A quintessential dish utilizing Japchae, let’s create this flavorful Japchae-Bap! It’s a perfect rice accompaniment with a harmonious blend of abundant vegetables and meat.
Main Ingredients- Glass noodles (dangmyeon) 360g (dried)
- Scallion or green onion 1/2 stalk
- Pork for stir-fry 100g (loin or tenderloin)
- Black pepper 1 tsp (for marinating pork)
- Onion 1/2
- Carrot 1/2
- Green bell pepper 1.5
- Wood ear mushrooms 6 (dried, or fresh)
- Sesame seeds, a pinch (for garnish)
Japchae Seasoning- Soy sauce 4 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
- Oyster sauce 1 Tbsp
Optional Add-ins- Chili oil 3 Tbsp (for a spicier flavor)
- Soy sauce 4 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
- Oyster sauce 1 Tbsp
Optional Add-ins- Chili oil 3 Tbsp (for a spicier flavor)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The foundation of Japchae-Bap is the glass noodles! Prepare 360g of dried glass noodles, commonly found in supermarkets. Place the noodles in a large bowl and soak them in water for about 1 hour until thoroughly softened. It’s crucial that the noodles become pliable.
Step 2
Now, let’s make the seasoning sauce that adds depth of flavor to the Japchae-Bap! Measure out 4 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sugar, and 1 Tbsp oyster sauce into a small bowl. Add 70mL of water and stir well until all ingredients are combined. The oyster sauce significantly enhances the umami.
Step 3
Get a wide frying pan or a wok ready. Pour a generous amount of cooking oil and add the chopped scallions or the white parts of green onions. Gently stir-fry over medium-low heat to infuse the oil with scallion aroma. This process allows the sweet fragrance of the scallions to meld into the oil. Be careful not to burn them!
Step 4
Once you start smelling the scallion aroma, add the prepared 100g of pork for stir-fry. Season the pork with 1 tsp of black pepper to eliminate any gamey odors. Stir-fry until the pork is no longer pink on the outside.
Step 5
Once the pork is cooked through, add the roughly chopped 1/2 onion, 1/2 carrot, 1.5 green bell peppers, and the wood ear mushrooms (pre-soaked in water and cleaned). Stir-fry everything together. It’s best to stir-fry at high heat for a short time until the vegetables are slightly tender but still retain some crispness.
Step 6
When the vegetables begin to turn translucent, add the soaked glass noodles and the prepared seasoning sauce. Now, increase the heat to high and stir-fry quickly to ensure the sauce coats the noodles evenly. Continue stir-frying until the noodles are loosened and the sauce has slightly thickened. If you desire a spicier kick, add 3 Tbsp of chili oil at this stage.
Step 7
Arrange the deliciously stir-fried Japchae over a bowl of warm rice. You can create a small well in the rice or layer it neatly. Finally, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for a beautiful finish. This completes your impressive Chinese-style Japchae-Bap! It tastes best when served immediately while hot.
