Korean japchae with sweet potato noodles and beef

Ingredients

Noodles

• 200 g sweet-potato glass noodles
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Beef

• 200 g sirloin, sliced thin
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 garlic clove, crushed

Dressing

• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Veg

• 150 g spinach, blanched and squeezed
• 150 g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp neutral oil

Method

1. Noodles. Boil per packet instructions (usually 6-7 minutes). Drain. Toss with sesame oil. Cut with scissors if very long.
2. Beef. Marinate in soy, sugar, garlic 10 minutes. Sear in a hot pan 2 minutes. Set aside.
3. Veg. Stir-fry each vegetable separately in a little oil until just tender. Set aside.
4. Dressing. Whisk soy, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds.
5. Combine. In a large bowl, toss noodles with dressing first. Add beef and veg. Mix gently by hand.
6. Serve. At room temperature, sprinkled with extra sesame seeds.

Tips

• Don’t rinse the noodles after draining. The starch helps the sauce cling.
• Cook each veg separately. Mixed veg = sad, watery noodles.
• Sesame oil at the end, not in the pan. The heat dulls the flavour.