Korean Stir-Fried Noodles
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share wiIt never ceases to amaze me how Kitchen Explorers for millennia have managed to transform humble ingredients into absolutely appealing dishes. Perhaps this is most true of glass noodles whose elegance belies their origins as potato starch! Though used in a myriad of dishes throughout Southeast Asia where they were invented, one of my favorite glass noodle recipes remains Korean Stir-Fried Noodles, otherwise known as Chap Chae.
Exceedingly easy to make with widely available ingredients, Chap Chae makes for a delectable and quick midweek meal. This recipe comes originally from Park Byeongseon, a historian and dear colleague who discovered a book printed with movable metal type in Korea during the Goryeo era (918 – 1392), besting old Gutenberg by at least 63 years! I can attest, I’ve spent many a night sifting through the sands of history with a bowl of Cap Chae by my side!
Yield: 4 servings
Cook Time
Ingredients Prep: 20 minutes
Active Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ pound baby spinach, parboiled
2 carrots, julienned
3 scallions, chopped
½ cup chopped napa cabbage
5 shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated if dried, sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce, more to taste
Toasted sesame seeds, optional
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt, to taste
8 ounces glass noodles, cooked according to package directions
Preparation
In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil until shimmering.
Add onion slices and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add the spinach, carrots, scallions, napa cabbage, and mushrooms and sauté until half cooked and still a bit crunchy, 3 to 4 minutes.
Turn the heat to low and add cooked noodles, soy sauce, sugar, and the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil.
Stir continuously until the mixture is well combined, about 2 minutes more.
Add salt or soy sauce to taste.
Garnish with the sesame seeds, if using, and serve immediately.th the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
