Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles)

Method

1. Soak the noodles in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Cut the beef into thin strips about 5 mm thick and massage in the marinade ingredients. Slice the onion 5 mm wide, cut the carrot into thin 5 cm matchsticks, remove the shiitake stems and slice the caps thinly. Trim and wash the spinach.

   Add in this stepSweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon) 100 gBeef sirloin or top round 100 gSoy sauce (for the beef) 2 tspSugar (for the beef) 1 tspMinced garlic (for the beef) 1 tspToasted sesame oil (for the beef) 1 tspOnion 80 gCarrot 50 gFresh shiitake mushrooms 2Spinach 100 g

2. Bring the water to a boil in a 22 cm pot over high heat, add a little salt and blanch the spinach for 30 sec. Rinse it in cold water, squeeze it firmly dry and season with a pinch of salt and a few drops of sesame oil. Keep the water: you will cook the noodles in it.

   Add in this stepWater for boiling 2 LSalt to tasteToasted sesame oil ⅛ tbsp

   high heat

3. Beat the egg with a pinch of salt. Wipe a 20 cm pan with a very thin film of oil and cook the egg as a thin sheet over low heat, flipping once, for 2 min in total. Let it cool, roll it up and slice into 3 mm ribbons.

   Add in this stepEgg (for the omelette garnish) 1Salt to tasteCooking oil ¼ tbsp

   low heat

4. Heat the oil in a large 26 cm pan over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the onion and carrot with a pinch of salt for 2 min, until just softened, then move them to a large bowl. In the same pan stir-fry the beef and shiitake for 3 min, until no pink remains, and add them to the bowl.

   Add in this stepCooking oil 1¾ tbspSalt to taste

   medium-high heat

5. Bring the spinach water back to a boil over high heat and cook the soaked noodles for 5 min. When they turn clear and have no hard core when you bite one, drain them and snip them 2 or 3 times with scissors into easy-to-eat lengths.

   high heat

6. Put the noodles in the stir-fry pan with the soy sauce, sugar and half the sesame oil and toss over medium heat for 2 min, until the noodles absorb the sauce and look glossy. Turn off the heat, tip them into the bowl with the vegetables, beef and spinach, add the remaining sesame oil, sesame seeds and pepper, and mix well with your hands. Top with the egg ribbons.

   Add in this stepSoy sauce 2 tbspSugar 1 tbspToasted sesame oil 0.9 tbspToasted sesame seeds 1 tspBlack pepper to taste

   medium heat