Jap-che, I love saying it with Korean accent. I can make a pretty good Korean accent because I had a Korean friend, who has a thick accent. So thick that when she says zoo it sounds like Jew. She is sweet and kind but shamefully doesn’t know how to cook. I always fantasize of having a balaboosta Korean friend that will show me how to make it like how her mom makes it. I have books and google but it’s not the same.
Japchae in Korean is “mixed vegetables”. It’s a noodle dish that is made with vegetables and sweet potato starch noodles that are chewy and a bit slimy but in a good comforting way
It takes less then 30 minutes to make and they are tasty at room temperature so you can make it a head and take to work or a picnic.
*Japchae is normally made with onions but we didn’t have any so I used garlic to enhance the flavor.
Japchae
Ingredients
- 1-2 small yam or sweet potato - optional
- 8 oz sweet potato or mung bean noodles
- 2 tablespoons avocado or canola oil
- 3 cloves garlic - chopped roughly
- 4 stalks scallions - sliced
- 1" piece of ginger - chopped finely
- 3-4 small carrots - cut into strips
- 2 green peppers - cut into strips
- 3-4 fresh shiitake mushrooms - sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon coconut amino liquid or 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon toasted white sesame
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F/200C. Cut the yams lengthwise and put them with the skin up on a baking tray, lined with baking paper, less cleaning later. Bake until tender.
- Boil water in a large pot and cook the noodles for about 5 -10 minutes (look what the packaging instructions says). Drain the water and rinse the noodles under cold running water. Using scissors cut the noodles into 6-inch length. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a wok or skillet. Add garlic, ginger and white part of the scallions and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the carrots and cook for 1- 2 minutes. Add peppers and mushrooms, and continue to stir fry for 2 – 3 minutes. The veggies should stay slightly hard.
- Remove the yams from the oven and let them cool.
- Turn the heat to low and add the noodles into the wok. Spoon in chunks of the yams and add the sesame oil, soy sauce, coconut amino liquid or honey, green part of the scallions and sesame seeds, and stir well to combine. Taste and correct seasoning then serve at room temperature.
Looks amazing! Why do use Canola oil, can I use avocado oil instead? And are these noodles only made out of sweet potatoes?
Does avocado oil has a flavor like olive oil or it’s natural? Is it bitter? The noodles are made with sweet potato starch and water. Maybe a bit tapioca, I don’t remember. Will check and get back to you xxs