A few days ago we explored the world of Asian noodles, among them dang myun, or vermicelli made from Korean sweet potato starch. Although they have hardly any flavor, these long, glassy noodles have an immensely satisfying, chewy texture and can really soak up seasonings and sauces. This makes them a perfect addition to chap chae, a Korean dish of thinly-sliced, stir-fried vegetables (and sometimes beef).
Chap chae was one of the first foods my partner's Korean mom cooked for me, before I had become accustomed to the more pungent dishes in Korean cuisine, and I have loved it ever since – so much that I had to learn how to make it myself! Beloved by Koreans yet Western palate-friendly, the dish is quick to cook and delicious hot or cold. It actually tastes best after sitting in the refrigerator overnight and then brought to room temperature, making it a great dish for summer picnics or potlucks.
Note: Look for dang myun noodles at Korean markets or order them online at koaMart.
Vegetarian Chap Chae (Korean Noodles With Vegetables)
Serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main dish6 ounces sweet potato vermicelli noodles (dang myun)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
2 scallions (white and green parts), chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dried shitake mushrooms, soaked in water for 30 minutes, drained, and sliced
1 small carrot, julienned
1 small zucchini, julienned
2 cups spinach leaves
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Salt, to taste
Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the noodles until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, drain again, and set aside.
Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, scallions, garlic, mushrooms, carrots, and zucchini, and stir fry until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the spinach, noodles, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar. Turn the heat down to low and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Turn off heat, toss in the sesame seeds, and season to taste with salt.
Serve hot or cold.
Related: Recipe: Vegetarian Naengmyun (Korean Cold Noodles)
(Image: Emily Ho)
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Comments (12)
one of my favorites, I always have my grandma or mom make this for me when I visit! for some reason it's much tastier when they make it.
Jap Chaeeee!
I want to eat a pile of it for breakfast, right now.
Years ago I found a recipe for Jap Chae that called for balsamic. I should have been suspicious...
Mark Bittman had a fun piece in The Minimalist column a while for Yakisoba. Neat little video along with the piece. It has become one of my regulars.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/03/dining/03mini.html
Homemade is so much better than restaurant-made. I find that restaurant versions have way too much oil.
I like to add a little chopped ginger and lots of freshly ground black pepper to the mix.
Just a note: chap chae often tastes better the second day after being refrigerated and after the flavours have settled. Make it in large amounts, because you'll want to eat it often and it will disappear fast!
wow! didn't know the noodles were made of sweet potato! love it with bbq! finally, i could try to make this myself. i personally think chap chae seems a bit pricy in the restaurants for the portion that you get, compared to other noodle dishes. or maybe the problem is i can eat a ton of it! now i can control the sugar and oil in the dish. thanks for the recipe!
Yay! One of my fave Korean dishes. Thanks for this - can't wait to try it!
I just made a batch with my mom yesterday!
This might be a bit more effort, but my mom has always insisted on stir-frying each ingredient separately vs. altogether. Just cook one at a time using the same pan and dump into the mixing bowl as you go. This helps each item to be cooked to the idea consistency and texture. We also stir fry the noodles before adding to the veggies.
For those who watch calories, these noodles are extremely light. For some reason, they only have between 5 and 20 calories for a whole bag.
I've always seen them sold as shiritaki noodles, though
My recommendation is to boil the noodles with soy sauce and sesame oil. It add more flavor. You can also just cook the veggies etc in regular oil just to get them cooked. Then mix all together and flavor to your liking with soy sauce (or just salt if it's not salty enough) and sesame oil. It's super easy to make and delicious!
My ex-boyfriend taught me how to cook this. His dad had been stationed in Korea. We used thinly sliced cucumber, not zucchini. So very good. He also taught me how to make what he called "summer kimchi", bulgogi, and gave me an appreciation for Turkish food and Belgian beers. I introduced him to sushi and dim sum. Can't say much about the rest of the relationship. ;)