Napa Cabbage Japchae (Stir-fried Noodles)
Vegetarian Napa Cabbage and Glass Noodle Stir-fry (Japchae) Recipe using Seasonal Winter Cabbage
A delicious napa cabbage japchae made by stir-frying thinly sliced napa cabbage without meat. It offers a delightful texture and flavor.
Main Ingredients- 1 handful glass noodles (approx. 100g)
- 4 leaves napa cabbage (or 1/4 head regular cabbage)
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper
- About 10 leaves perilla leaves (shiso leaves)
- 1/4 green onion
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
Seasoning- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup water (100ml)
- Pinch of black pepper
- Pinch of salt (to taste)
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup water (100ml)
- Pinch of black pepper
- Pinch of salt (to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare all the ingredients you’ll need for the dish. The next steps will detail how to prepare each ingredient. This is the first step towards making a delicious japchae!
Step 2
Wash the napa cabbage thoroughly, pat it dry, and then cut it into thick shreds, about 1 to 1.5 cm wide. Cutting it too thinly might make it mushy when cooked, so a slightly thicker cut is preferable.
Step 3
Boil the glass noodles in water for about 3 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and let them sit, covered, for another 10 minutes until they are tender and pliable. This method ensures even uncooked noodles become chewy yet soft. Drain the cooked noodles, rinse them under cold water to remove stickiness, and then cut them a few times with scissors into manageable lengths.
Step 4
Cut the red and yellow bell peppers into thick shreds. Finely chop the green onion, focusing on the white parts, to add aromatic flavor. Wash the perilla leaves, pat them dry, and then roughly chop them to add a fresh herbaceous note at the end.
Step 5
Heat a wide pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Sauté the chopped green onions for about 10 seconds until fragrant. Once the aroma of the green onions is released, add the soy sauce (1.5 Tbsp), oyster sauce (1 Tbsp), brown sugar (2 Tbsp), and water (1/2 cup) to the pan. Stir well to combine, being careful not to burn the seasonings.
Step 6
Once the sauce in the pan comes to a rolling boil, add the prepared glass noodles. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, allowing the noodles to absorb the sauce evenly and become moist and flavorful. Continuously tossing them ensures they don’t stick and absorb the ‘wok hei’ (breath of the wok).
Step 7
When the noodles have absorbed some of the sauce, add the thickly shredded napa cabbage stems first and stir-fry for about 10 seconds until they slightly soften. Then, add the napa cabbage leaves and stir-fry for about 5 more seconds to maintain their crispness. The key is not to overcook the cabbage, so it remains slightly crunchy.
Step 8
Add the shredded red and yellow bell peppers to the pan and stir-fry gently for another moment until everything is combined. The colorful addition makes the dish even more visually appealing.
Step 9
Now, it’s time to adjust the seasoning. Taste the dish and add a pinch of salt if needed to reach your preferred flavor. Finally, drizzle in the sesame oil (1 Tbsp), toasted sesame seeds (1 Tbsp), and a pinch of black pepper to enhance the aroma and flavor.
Step 10
Turn off the heat. Using the residual heat from the pan, gently stir everything together one last time. This step allows the aromas of the sesame oil and seeds to permeate evenly throughout all the ingredients.
Step 11
With the heat turned off, gently stir everything together once more using the residual heat. This process enhances the natural flavors and aromas of the ingredients, allowing the sauce to meld beautifully and create a more harmonious taste.
Step 12
Once all the ingredients are nicely combined, your Napa Cabbage Japchae is complete! It looks beautiful and tastes wonderful. Enjoy it while it’s warm for the best flavor.
