Japchae - Korean Glass Noodles

Cut 5 oz beef (stew meat) into thin strips, against the grain.

Make beef marinade in a large bowl by adding 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp rice cooking wine, 0.5 tsp garlic powder. Add the beef, mix and let it sit for a few minutes.

Boil 8-10 C of water in a pot and cook the 8 oz Korean glass noodles or cellophane noodles according to package instructions(e.g.6 min) or until the noodles become clear and is soft all the way to the center of the noodle.

Drain cooked noodles. While noodles are still warm, season with 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1.5 Tbsp sesame oil. Cut the noodles with scissors a few times.

Boil salted water (6 C water + 1 tsp salt). Quickly blanch 1 bunch spinach in boiling salted water. Do not cook the spinach more than 40 seconds. Spinach should be still a bit chewy and not too mushy.

Shock cooked spinach in cold or ice water, drain and squeeze gently to remove excess water.

Season the blanched spinach with some salt (1/2 tsp) and sesame oil (1 tsp). Set aside.

If using dried 3 shitake mushrooms and/or 1/4 cup dried wood ear mushroom: soak them in some warm water for 10-20 min or so until they are fully hydrated.

Clean the fresh or rehydrated mushrooms by rubbing each mushroom under cold running water.

Cut shitake mushrooms into thin strips. Cut wood ear mushrooms into wide strips. Set aside.

Julienne 1/2 carrot and 1/2 onion and set aside.

Saute each of the ingredients separately and let them cool. Saute ingredients one by one in the following order: onions -> carrots -> mushrooms -> beef. Just wipe off any excess oil and crumbs with a paper towel after cooking each ingredient and you should be good to go!

- Add 1 T oil in frying pan on medium heat. Add onions and sprinkle a pinch of salt. Saute until onions become transparent but not brown. Remove

- Add 1 T oil in same pan. Add carrots and a pinch of salt. Saute carrots until they are soft and tender. remove.

- Add 1 T oil. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Saute for 3 mins or so and the mushrooms should be done.

- Add 1/2 T oil in frying pan on medium-high heat. Saute the beef until they are fully cooked. If there are any extra juices in the pan, cook a little more until it's evaporated.

Transfer each of the onions, carrots, mushrooms and beef to a plate and let them cool.

Add all the cooked vegetables and beef to the noodles and mix them altogether. Sprinkle some toasted 1 Tbsp sesame seeds. Adjust the seasoning with more soy sauce and sugar as needed.

Unless you like things really bland, it will taste much better if you add more 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce, (1~2 Tbsp), 2 tsp sugar and 2 tsp sesame oil as the final finishing touch. Amount is based on 200g dangmyeon.