Extra Easy Vegetarian Jap Chae (잡채) Recipe

Once upon a time, I began watching Korean dramas. When I look back on it, I don't even know how I even became obsessed with watching absurdly impossible story lines of K-Dramas. I lived, breathed, ate, woke up to, and fell asleep with K-Dramas 24/7 whenever I wasn't working or at school. Story short, I'm obsessed.

So over the course of 6 years, I've become enamored by Korean culture, and of course food. One of the most popular Korean dishes available is Jap Chae (잡채). So try this recipe and you won't be disappointed.

Pretty much anyone who can boil water can make this dish.

Easy peasy.

Side note. I still LOVE watching K-Dramas. Secret indulgence confessed.

All ingredients are interchangeable. Feel free to go crazy and throw your favorite veggies and meat. This recipe is for my vegans out there. No egg. No fish sauce. Nada.


Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

• 4 oz uncooked Korean sweet potato starch vermicelli noodles 
• 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large carrot, sliced thinly
• half of one onion, sliced
• handful of spinach or Chinese broccoli 
• 1 garlic clove, minced
•  3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sugar

Directions - Have a large pot of boiling water ready for blanching.

1. Once water begins to boil, drop in carrots. After 2-3 minutes, remove and set inside a large bowl.

2. Using the same pot of hot water, lets blanch (pre-cook) the greens. Remove, drain, set inside a large bowl.

3. Drop in starch noodles. Boil for 5-7 minutes. Remove, drain, set inside a large bowl. 

4. Using a non-stick pan, quickly stir fry onion and mushrooms. Add garlic. Cook until fragrant.

5. Remove from heat, and mix soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar in the large bowl. 

6. Mix all ingredients together until well absorbed. 

Taste.

Season with black pepper.

Enjoy!

Tips for a tastier jap chae 잡채. This is my personal favorite sesame oil. It has a wonderful aroma, and I don't need to use a lot of it to get the flavor profile. I also enjoy fresh shiitake mushrooms over dried. When cooked, the texture is much more bouncier and flavorful. Most chap jae includes beef and/or thinly sliced cooked egg. I chose to omit that today as I had gal-bi and sam gyup sal with my meal.