March 29, 2019

Stir-Fried Korean Sweet Potato Noodles (Japchae)

I’m such a big noodle fan, and there is nothing cooler than finding new and exciting pastas to feed my noodle passion. These sweet potato starch noodles did just that- transparent, chewy, and totally gluten-free, these glass noodles make an excellent addition to any stir-fry. I used them to make a classic Korean dish- japchae, which uses stir-fried sweet potato noodles and vegetables. I added mushrooms, kale, bell peppers, and zucchini noodles for a bright and vibrant noodle dish.

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Finding Your Sweet Potato Noodles

I love noodles- I really do. Udon, buckwheat, spaghetti, ramen, gnocchi, rice noodle, soba- all of them. I don’t think I’ve met a noodle that I didn’t like. I’d never had these glass sweet potato noodles before (although they are very similar to the glass noodles sometimes found in spring rolls). Never the less, a noodle is a noodle- it pretty much has to be good, similarly to how even pretty bad pizza is still pizza, so it’s still alright. I found these noodles at my local Asian grocery store, Hmart, which just so happens to be primarily Korean- check out their website, because there very well might be an Hmart near you. If not, you can always purchase your sweet potato noodles online.

Looking for Noodles? Check Out These Other Noodle Recipes!

Korean Food Night

My first batch of Japchae was from a Korean cooking food night I had. I had been browsing a Korean cookbook at the library, and came to the conclusion that I haven’t had nearly enough Korean food in my life. Since I’m vegan, and need to watch out for fish sauce, anchovies, and other hidden meats, the best way is to make it myself. We cooked our way through 15 or so different recipes, veganizing when necessary, and ended up with a feast. Although most of the dishes were delicious, there were two in particular that I really loved and wanted to make my own. A different version of sweet potato noodle japchae, and a braised tofu- you can find my interpretation of the tofu here.

Making Vegan Japchae Sweet Potato Noodles

To make this japchae (sweet potato noodles) you will need a large skillet or wok. I got a little out of control with the portions here, so I want to emphasize that a really large skillet will be needed, and this recipe will end up making a lot of food. The noodles are cooked ahead of time by boiling in hot water and shocking under cold water. Unlike other noodles, you probably won’t need to add any oil to them while they sit as I didn’t find that they stuck together. Next it’s just a matter of adding ingredients one by one to a large skillet until they are cooked. Near the end the sweet potato noodles are added to the skillet, and cooked until they are nicely browned. In addition, we’ve added spiralized zucchini! The sauce is added at the end, and uses mirin, soy sauce, and vegetarian oyster sauce.

Stir-Fried Korean Sweet Potato Noodles (Japchae) with Kale

Ingredients

One bunch of kale (about 12 oz.)
4 cloves of garlic
1 medium-sized onion
8 oz. shiitake or cremini mushrooms
1 large red bell pepper
2 medium-sized zucchinis
3.5 oz. enoki mushrooms
3 scallions
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup mirin
3 tbsp. vegetarian oyster sauce
12 oz. sweet potato starch noodles
Vegetable oil, for cooking
Sesame seeds, to garnish

Instructions

Start by washing and chopping all your vegetables. Remove the stems of the kale, and tear into fairly large pieces. Mince the garlic, and slice the onions into thin half-moons. Chop the shiitakes or creminis and chop the dirty end of the enoki. Cut the bell pepper into small pieces, and chop the scallions. Use a spiralizer to make zucchini “noodles”. Set all of this aside. Combine the soy sauce, mirin, and vegetarian oyster sauce in a small bowl, and whisk together. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the sweet potato noodles and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft. Remove the noodles and run under cold water. Set aside. Next place the kale in the boiling water, and cook for a few minutes until soft. Drain and shock under cold water.
Heat a little oil on a medium-high heat in a large wok or skillet. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté for a minute until fragrant. Add the shiitake or cremini mushrooms and bell peppers, and cook for another couple minutes. Next add the zucchini noodles and sweet potato noodles, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until some of the noodles are more golden. Lower the heat to medium, and add the sauce, blanched kale, and enoki mushrooms. Stir until it’s all well combined, and the sauce is well distributed. Remove from the heat, add the scallions and sesame seeds, and serve.

https://veryveganval.com/2019/03/29/stir-fried-korean-sweet-potato-noodles-japchae-with-kale/

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