Japchae is a colorful and popular Korean dish consisting of sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon) stir-fried with thin strips of beef, mushrooms, and various vegetables. It is known for its sweet and savory sauce based on soy sauce and sesame oil. It is traditionally served cold or at room temperature.

Prep Time	Cook Time	Serves
30 minutes	25 minutes	4

Part A: Ingredients

• Noodles: 8 oz Sweet Potato Glass Noodles (Dangmyeon).
• Meat/Marinade: 4 oz Thinly Sliced Beef (e.g., sirloin), 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce, 1 tsp Garlic, 1 tsp Sugar, 1 tsp Sesame Oil.
• Vegetables: 1 large Onion (thinly sliced), 1 Carrot (julienned), 1 cup Spinach (blanched), 1 cup Shiitake Mushrooms (sliced), 1 Red Bell Pepper (thinly sliced).
• Sauce: 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce, 2 Tbsp Sugar, 2 Tbsp Sesame Oil.
• Finish: 1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds, Salt and Pepper.

Part B: Instructions

Step 1: Prep Ingredients

1. Noodles: Boil the dangmyeon noodles according to package directions until fully tender (usually about 8 minutes). Drain, rinse in cold water, and cut them with scissors into shorter strands. Toss lightly with 1 tsp of sesame oil to prevent sticking.
2. Beef: Marinate the beef strips with the marinade ingredients for 15 minutes.
3. Spinach: Quickly blanch the spinach in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain, rinse in cold water, squeeze dry, and season lightly with salt and sesame oil.

Step 2: Stir-Fry Separately (Key to Texture)

1. In a wok or large pan, stir-fry the marinated beef until just cooked. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pan, stir-fry the onion and mushrooms until softened. Remove and set aside.
3. Stir-fry the carrots and bell pepper until crisp-tender (about 2 minutes). Remove and set aside.

Step 3: Make the Sauce and Combine

1. In the empty wok, combine the 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp sugar, and 2 Tbsp sesame oil. Heat briefly until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the cooked noodles to the sauce. Toss vigorously to coat the noodles evenly in the sweet and savory glaze.
3. Return all the beef, mushrooms, onions, carrots, bell peppers, and spinach to the wok. Toss gently but thoroughly to distribute the ingredients and colors.

Step 4: Serve

• Taste the Japchae and adjust with more soy sauce or sugar if needed. Stir in the sesame seeds.
• Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with extra sesame seeds.