Savory Stir-Fried Noodles with Eggplant and Mung Bean Noodles
[Noodle Dish/Eggplant Dish] Stir-Fried Noodles with Eggplant (feat. Mung Bean Noodles)
For vegetable lovers like me! This is an exotic stir-fried noodle dish featuring tender yet crisp eggplant and chewy mung bean noodles. Eggplant, rich in anthocyanins, is not only good for health but also offers a wonderfully rich flavor. The subtle sweetness of pumpkin, the fragrant aroma of chili peppers and chives create a beautiful harmony of flavors. Especially, the Chinese-style mung bean noodles, optimized for stir-frying, maintain a unique, crisp texture without becoming mushy, adding a special touch. The chewy noodles, crisp vegetables, and savory sauce come together in this eggplant stir-fried noodle dish to complete a visually appealing and satisfying autumn feast.
Main Ingredients- Mung bean noodles, 2 servings
- 1 eggplant
- 1/4 small pumpkin (kabocha squash)
- 1 shiitake mushroom
- 2-3 Korean green chili peppers (kkwari-gochu)
- 5-6 stalks of chives
- 1/2 stalk of green onion
- Other vegetables (onion, carrot, etc.) (optional)
- A little olive oil
Stir-fry Sauce- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 5-6 Tbsp water
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 5-6 Tbsp water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare all the vegetables for the recipe. Slice the eggplant into finger-thick pieces (about 1.5 cm). Slice the pumpkin and shiitake mushrooms to a similar size. Julienne the Korean green chili peppers, finely mince the green onion, and cut the chives into 4 cm lengths for stir-frying, while finely chopping the chives for the sauce. Feel free to add julienned onion or carrot if desired. If you’re not using pumpkin, you can add sugar or plum syrup for sweetness. This dish is delicious as a vegetarian meal, but meat-eaters can add thinly sliced beef for bulgogi or shrimp for an even richer experience.
Step 2
1. Prepare the ingredients: Cut the eggplant into finger-sized pieces (about 1.5 cm thick). Slice the pumpkin and shiitake mushrooms to a similar size. Julienne the Korean green chili peppers, finely mince the green onion, and cut the chives for stir-frying into 4 cm lengths. Finely chop the chives for the sauce. You can also julienne any leftover red cabbage from making ssam-bap (lettuce wraps). Onions or carrots are also great additions when julienned.
Step 3
2. Boil the mung bean noodles: Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the mung bean noodles for about 3 to 3.5 minutes. These mung bean noodles have a uniquely crisp texture and are much thinner than regular glass noodles, but they don’t get mushy or stick together, making them perfect for stir-fries and japchae. Since they are thin, there’s no need to soak them beforehand; just boil them in water for 3-4 minutes, rinse under cold water, and then stir-fry with the other ingredients for about 1 minute. This allows you to easily enjoy an exotic noodle dish at home. One portion is typically enough for one person (for lighter eaters), and they absorb sauces beautifully, boasting a fantastic texture that often leads to requests for refills!
Step 4
3. Rinse the noodles: Immediately after boiling, rinse the mung bean noodles under cold running water to remove excess starch. Drain them thoroughly in a colander. This step prevents the noodles from becoming sticky or mushy during the stir-frying process and ensures a cleaner texture.
Step 5
4. Make green onion oil: Heat a pan over medium-low heat and add olive oil. Add the minced green onion and slowly sauté until fragrant and the oil is infused with its aroma. This fragrant green onion oil is a crucial step for building flavor in the dish.
Step 6
5. Infuse shiitake mushroom flavor: Once the green onion oil is fragrant, add the sliced shiitake mushrooms to the pan and stir-fry them. This step enhances the aroma of the dish as the mushrooms release their deep, earthy flavor into the oil.
Step 7
6. Stir-fry the main ingredients: Add the eggplant and pumpkin (and any other prepared vegetables, except for the chives and Korean green chili peppers) to the pan. Keep the heat at medium-high and stir-fry quickly to cook the eggplant without letting it become too soft. The goal is to preserve the crispness of the vegetables.
Step 8
7. Add the stir-fry sauce: As the vegetables begin to release moisture and sizzle, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce. Stir-fry rapidly to develop a slightly smoky flavor from the heat. Reserve the remaining 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to add later when stir-frying the noodles. Cooking over high heat ensures the vegetables remain crisp and flavorful.
Step 9
Tip: It’s important to stir-fry the eggplant quickly over high heat to prevent it from becoming mushy. However, ensure the eggplant is fully cooked, as undercooked eggplant can contain solanine. Stir everything thoroughly to make sure it’s evenly cooked.
Step 10
8. Add noodles and finish stir-frying: Once the vegetables are well coated with the sauce, add the boiled mung bean noodles, Korean green chili peppers, and chives to the pan. Add the reserved 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Continue to stir-fry everything together evenly for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, allowing the noodles to absorb the flavors. If the mixture seems too dry, gradually add a little water or broth while stir-frying to achieve a moist consistency.
Step 11
9. Finishing touches: Once the noodles have absorbed the seasoning, turn off the heat. Finish by stirring in a little sesame oil and black pepper for added aroma and flavor. Your delicious eggplant stir-fried noodles are now ready!
Step 12
Serving suggestion: Mung bean noodles tend to absorb sauce well. For extra moisture and a spicy, savory kick, you can drizzle the chili oil chive soy sauce (prepared separately) over the noodles just before serving, according to your preference.
