Spicy and Flavorful Glass Noodle Stew (Dangmyeon Jjigae)
Following Baek Jong-won’s Recipe: A Hearty and Delicious Spicy Glass Noodle Stew
Lately, my blog has shifted from recipes to reviews! With family visiting frequently during the long holiday, cooking became a daily affair, leaving little time for photography. However, inspired by Baek Jong-won’s home cooking show, I decided to try his recipe for a spicy glass noodle stew, which uses common ingredients. I took advantage of the holiday to make it! I used ingredients I already had at home and just bought some spinach and beef for bulgogi (thinly sliced marinated beef). Let’s make this hearty and deeply flavorful stew together!
Main Ingredients- 1 bunch Glass noodles (Dangmyeon)
- Approx. 150g Bulgogi beef (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 bunch Spinach
- 1 King oyster mushroom
- 2 Shiitake mushrooms
- 1/4 Onion
- 1/2 Green onion stalk
- 1 Korean chili pepper (Cheongyang)
- 1 Tbsp Minced garlic
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Before you begin cooking, soak the glass noodles in cold water for at least 30 minutes to soften them. Soaking them beforehand is crucial for tender and evenly cooked noodles.
Step 2
Feel free to adjust the amount of beef to your liking. While the TV show used one cup, I decided to use all the beef I had to make the stew richer and more flavorful.
Step 3
Heat 3 tablespoons of sesame oil in a pot or deep pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced beef and stir-fry until it’s mostly cooked through. The show used 2 tablespoons of sesame oil as the beef had little fat, but I used a bit more for a richer taste.
Step 4
Once the beef is mostly cooked, add 2 tablespoons of gochujang and stir-fry well to coat the meat. I realized while rewatching that adding saeujeot (fermented shrimp) enhances the umami. If you have it, you can add it now or later.
Step 5
Prepare the broth. In a separate pot, combine water, a piece of kelp, dried anchovies, and the radish greens root (or scallion greens). Simmer for about 10 minutes to create a flavorful broth. If you don’t have these ingredients, you can use plain water.
Step 6
Add about one ladleful of the prepared broth to the stir-fried beef and seasonings. Let it simmer and reduce slightly, allowing the flavors to meld together. This step intensifies the seasoning’s aroma.
Step 7
Prepare the vegetables. Thaw the frozen shiitake mushrooms and slice them into bite-sized pieces. Slice the king oyster mushroom thickly. Thinly slice the onion, and diagonally slice the green onion and Korean chili pepper. If you enjoy a spicier kick, feel free to add more chili peppers.
Step 8
Pour all the prepared broth into the pot with the beef mixture.
Step 9
Add all the prepped vegetables – king oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, onion, green onion, and Korean chili pepper – to the pot.
Step 10
Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of soup soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce. Seasonings can be adjusted later, so start with these amounts.
Step 11
Stir in 2 tablespoons of gochugaru for a vibrant red color and extra spice. Add more if you like it spicier, or reduce the amount if cooking for children. This is the signature touch for a spicy glass noodle stew!
Step 12
Now it’s time for the star of the stew: the glass noodles! Cut the soaked glass noodles into manageable lengths (about 5-7 cm) with scissors before adding them to the pot. Cutting them prevents them from being too long and difficult to eat.
Step 13
After adding the noodles, toss in the spinach. Your delicious spicy glass noodle stew is almost ready! Ah, I noticed another mistake while rewatching the show: I added the spinach whole, but Baek Jong-won cut his. Oh well! With only two slip-ups (saeujeot and cutting the spinach), I think it turned out great! ^^
Step 14
It’s best to turn off the heat right after adding the spinach, but I kept it simmering for about 3 minutes while searching for a larger earthenware pot. The spinach got a little soft, but it didn’t affect the taste at all! I tasted it and found it a bit bland, so I added a little more soup soy sauce to perfect the seasoning. Enjoy your hearty and delicious spicy glass noodle stew!
