Smooth Korean sweet potato noodles soak up the savoury dressing beautifully. With sautéed shiitake and oyster mushrooms, spinach, carrot and onion, japchae becomes a colourful main course with both tender and chewy textures.
Japchae is a Korean dish made with dangmyeon: translucent, springy noodles made from sweet potato starch. The name is used for different preparations; this version combines the noodles with vegetables and mushrooms, without meat. The noodles don’t taste sweet. Their mild, neutral flavour makes them ideal for soaking up a dressing of soy sauce and sesame oil.
A generous amount of mushrooms gives the dish a savoury, full-bodied flavour. Shiitake have firm caps and a pronounced umami character; oyster mushrooms are softer and pull apart into long strands. Sauté them in a hot frying pan with plenty of room, in two batches if needed. This lets their moisture evaporate so they can develop browned edges instead of stewing. Cut the mushrooms into similar-sized pieces, but feel free to leave small shiitake whole.
The vegetables are briefly sautéed separately here. It takes a few extra minutes, but helps keep the carrot slightly crisp and the onion distinct. Spinach wilts quickly, so add it only after taking the pan off the heat, or stir it in very briefly. Use tongs to mix everything with the noodles. A wide pan or bowl gives you enough room to distribute the ingredients without pulling the noodles apart.
Dangmyeon is available at Korean and other Asian grocery stores. Follow the package instructions for soaking or cooking: brands differ in thickness and cooking time. Sweet potato glass noodles are best, as rice vermicelli or mung bean glass noodles have a different texture. Can’t find oyster mushrooms? Replace them with extra shiitake or chestnut mushrooms. If using salted soy sauce, don’t add extra salt before tasting.
Japchae can be eaten warm, but it’s also delicious at room temperature, for example as part of a meal with rice, kimchi and another vegetable dish. The sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds add a nutty finish; keep the sugar to a modest amount so the dressing stays savoury. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and warm them briefly in a pan with a small splash of water. Stir gently, as chilled glass noodles can stick together.
In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic and black pepper until the sugar has mostly dissolved.
Prepare the dangmyeon according to the package instructions. Drain and briefly rinse with cold water. Use clean kitchen scissors to snip the noodles a few times so they’re shorter and easier to mix later.
Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium-high to high heat. Sauté the shiitake and oyster mushrooms in one or two batches for 5–7 minutes, until the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms have browned edges. Transfer them out of the pan.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes. Add the carrot and cook for another 2 minutes; the vegetables can soften slightly but should still have some bite. Transfer them to the mushrooms.
Add the spinach to the pan and stir for 30–60 seconds, until the leaves have just wilted. Remove the pan from the heat.
Add the noodles and dressing to the pan. Toss with tongs until the noodles are evenly coated. Stir in the mushrooms and remaining vegetables, then warm everything through over low heat for another 1 minute if needed.
Divide the japchae between four bowls or plates and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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