Japchae

Ingredients

• 100 grams Korean glass noodles
• ¼ cup light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon +1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 6 teaspoons oil
• 1 boneless boneless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• Salt to taste
• 3-4 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked, drained and sliced
• 1 medium white onion, sliced
• 1 small carrot, cut into thin strips
• 1 red capsicum, seeded and cut into thin strips
• Crushed black peppercorns to taste
• 2-3 tablespoons 1 inch pieces of spring onion greens
• 6-8 fresh spinach leaves, blanched
• Toasted white sesame seeds to sprinkle
• Omelette of 2 eggs, cut into strips

Method

1. Heat a pan, add 5-6 cups water, and once it comes to a boil, add glass noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes. Drain and dip in a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain and set aside.
2. Take soy sauce in a bowl, add sesame oil, 1 teaspoon garlic, rice vinegar and brown sugar, and mix well.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a pan, add glass noodles and 1 tablespoon of the prepared sauce, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes. Transfer into a bowl.
4. In the same pan heat 2 teaspoons oil, add chicken and salt and saute well. Add shitake mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of the prepared sauce, mix and cook for 3-4 minutes. Transfer into another bowl.
5. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in the same pan, add 1 tablespoon garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add onion, mix and sauté on high heat for 1-2 minutes.
6. Add carrot and toss well. Add capsicum, salt and crushed peppercorns, mix and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add spring onion greens and toss well. Add spinach, toss well and take the pan off the heat.
7. Place noodles in the centre of a wide serving bowl, then place chicken and mushrooms on one side of the noodles and tossed vegetables on the other side. Drizzle remaining sauce, sprinkle sesame seeds and add omelette strips and mix well.
8. Sprinkle white sesame seeds on top and serve warm.