Jab Chae With Chicken Or Vegetables Recipe

Soak noodles

Place the glass noodles in a large bowl and cover with warm water. Soak 20–25 minutes until pliable but not fully soft. Drain and set aside.

Cook noodles

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add soaked noodles and cook 5–6 minutes until tender but still slightly chewy. Stir to prevent sticking. Drain noodles in a colander and rinse briefly under cold water to stop cooking. Trim noodles with kitchen shears into 12–16 inch lengths if desired; cut once more into shorter lengths for easier eating. Return to a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl whisk together soy sauce (6 tbs), sesame oil (3 tbs), sugar (1½ tbs), minced garlic (3 cloves) and ground black pepper (1 tsp). Taste and adjust: add up to ½ tbs more sugar for sweetness or 1 tbs more soy sauce for saltiness. Reserve.

Prepare spinach (or napa cabbage)

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add spinach and blanch 20–30 seconds until wilted. Remove immediately and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Squeeze out excess water and roughly chop. Season lightly with ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp sesame oil (from sauce amount—omit from sauce if you prefer) and set aside.

Cook protein

Heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thinly sliced chicken (or tofu) in a single layer, season with ¼ tsp salt, and stir-fry until cooked through and golden at the edges, about 4–6 minutes for chicken (or 5–7 minutes for tofu). Remove to a plate.

Sauté vegetables

In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tbs vegetable oil. Add sliced onion and julienned carrot; stir-fry 2–3 minutes until beginning to soften. Add sliced mushrooms and continue to cook 2–3 minutes until mushrooms release liquid and it's mostly evaporated. Add green onions and cook 1 minute more. Season the vegetable mixture with ¼ tsp salt. Remove vegetables to a bowl.

Combine noodles, cooked protein, prepared vegetables and blanched spinach in the large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce evenly over the top.

Using kitchen tongs or two large forks, toss vigorously for 2–3 minutes until the sauce evenly coats the noodles and ingredients, and the noodles have glossy sheen. Taste and adjust: add up to 1 tbs soy sauce or ½ tbs sesame oil if needed, and a pinch more sugar if you want sweeter.

Transfer japchae to a serving platter. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds (2 tbs) and optional gochugaru (1 tsp) over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.