Japchae with Mandu and Tangy Cucumber Salad

Chewy sweet potato glass noodles stir-fried with tender beef, vibrant vegetables, and savory seasonings, accompanied by pan-fried Korean dumplings and a refreshing cucumber salad.

• Prep: 35 min
• Cook: 50 min
• Total: 1 hr 25 min
• Servings: 3
• Cuisine: Korean
• Difficulty: Medium

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Dairy-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• stir-fry
• savory
• comfort food
• crowd-pleaser
• classic

Ingredients

• 8 ounce sweet potato glass noodles
• 6 ounce beef sirloin (thinly sliced or ground)
• 4 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2.5 teaspoon garlic (minced)
• 0.5 yellow onion (medium, thinly sliced)
• 1 carrot (small, julienned)
• 3 ounce fresh spinach
• 3 ounce shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
• 0.5 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
• 0.5 green bell pepper (thinly sliced)
• 1.5 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 12 Korean dumplings (frozen)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1.5 cucumbers (small, thinly sliced)
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 0.5 teaspoon sesame seeds (toasted)

Instructions

1. Marinate the beef: In a small bowl, combine the beef sirloin, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Mix well and set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Prepare the cucumber salad: In a separate bowl, toss the thinly sliced cucumbers with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic. Set aside to marinate.
3. Boil the sweet potato glass noodles according to package instructions, usually 6-8 minutes. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking. Cut the noodles into shorter segments (about 6-8 inches) with kitchen shears. Toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil to prevent sticking and set aside.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated beef and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Remove the beef and set aside.
5. Add a little more vegetable oil to the skillet if needed. Sauté the yellow onion and julienned carrot for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened. Add the spinach and shiitake mushrooms, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until spinach is wilted.
6. Add the red and green bell peppers to the skillet and stir-fry for 2 minutes until tender-crisp. Return the cooked beef to the skillet.
7. Add the prepared noodles to the skillet. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Pour this sauce over the noodles and vegetables. Toss everything together gently but thoroughly for 3-5 minutes until the noodles are well coated and heated through.
8. In a separate non-stick pan, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat. Pan-fry the frozen Korean dumplings according to package instructions, usually 8-10 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
9. Serve the japchae warm, topped with green onions (if using) and toasted sesame seeds. Serve alongside the pan-fried mandu and the tangy cucumber salad, garnished with toasted sesame seeds.

Notes

Using aged kimchi in the cucumber salad would add another layer of traditional Korean flavor. If you can't find sweet potato glass noodles, thick rice vermicelli can be a substitute, but the texture will be different.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 780
• Protein: 36.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 105 g
• Fat: 28.5 g
• Fiber: 8 g
• Sodium: 2050 mg
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Sugar: 19 g
• Cholesterol: 60 mg