Royal Japchae

(Jap Jae, jop jae, jap chae, jap jae bap, chop che bop, etc)
잡채
As with most Royal dishes, each major ingredient is prepared separately. When making this dish prepare the major ingredients one at a time, setting up all the sub-ingredients for each item so that everything is at hand and ready to add.

Servings: 5

Ingredients

Noodles:

1

12 ounce

package Korean Starch Noodle (Korean vermicelli, sweet potato starch)

1

tablespoon

Sugar

3

tablespoons

beef or chicken broth

1

tablespoon

sesame oil

Meat:

4

ounces

Lean Beef, pork, or chicken

1/2

medium white or yellow onion

1

tablespoon

sesame oil

Meat Marinade (See below)

Marinade:

1

tablespoon

soy sauce

1

tablespoon

pure sesame oil

1/4

small Asian pear

1

teaspoon

crushed garlic

pepper

salt

Spinach:

1

bunch fresh Spinach (approximately 3 ounces)

1/8

teaspoon

salt

1/2

teaspoon

toasted sesame seeds

1

teaspoon

sesame oil

Mushroom:

1

medium coral mushroom

2

tablespoons

beef or chicken broth

1

teaspoon

sesame oil

Substitute: King Oyster or other large mushroom (approximately 3 ounces)

Doragi (Bellflower root):

3

ounces

dried pre-cut doragi (Bellflower root)

3

tablespoons

beef or chicken broth

2

Green or Spring onion

1

teaspoon

sesame oil

Garnish:

2

eggs

1

teaspoon

roasted Sesame seed

Procedure

Directions:

Soak the dried doragi strips overnight.

Prepare the starch noodle:

Soak in cool water for about one hour. Pour off excess water then rinse in cold water. Drain thoroughly. Cut noodle into 3 inch lengths.

Alternate Method:

In a soup pot, bring 1 quart of water to a full boil. Add noodles and boil until soft. Remove from heat and rinse in cold water. Drain thoroughly. Cut noodle into 3 inch lengths.

Place oil in a pan over medium heat.

Add noodles and stir once to coat with oil.

Quickly add other noodle ingredients and stir fry until liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Make the Marinade:

Crush the pear into a smooth paste

In a medium mixing bowl add all marinade ingredients and mix well.

Prepare the meat:

Cut the meat into approximately 1/2 inch by 2 inch strips. Place meat in marinade and roll or mix until completely covered. Let stand at least 15 minutes.

Remove meat from liquid and drain. Discard remaining marinade.

Slice onion in thin slices (1/8th inch).

Spread 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a stir fry pan and place over high heat.

Add onion slices and stir fry about forty five (45) seconds. Remove onions from pan and set aside.

Add beef mixture to hot pan and quickly sear.

Remove from heat, mix with onion and set aside.

Spinach:

In a soup pot, bring 3 cups of water to full boil. Wash spinach in cold water, then completely immerse it in the boiling water. Remove from heat after 30 seconds and rinse immediately in cold water. Squeeze excess water from spinach.

Heat oil in a pan over high heat for thirty seconds.

Add spinach and broth, and stir fry for thirty(30) to forty five(45) seconds.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Mushroom:

Slice the green onion into roughly 1 to 1 1/4 inch lengths.

Coral:

Tear the coral mushroom into individual stalks (or small group if the stalks are very slender), rinse well in cold water.

Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil.

Add coral mushroom and return to boil.

Boil for two to three minutes, remove from heat, drain and rinse in cold water.

King Oyster or other large mushroom:

Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil.

Add mushroom and return to boil.

Boil for two to three minutes, remove from heat, drain and rinse in cold water.

Cut the mushroom into thin slivers lengthwise.

All Types mushroom:

Place oil into a pan over medium to high heat, heat for thirty seconds.

Add mushroom and stir fry three to four minutes.

Add broth and green onion, and stir fry 1 additional minute.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Doragi

Rinse soaked doragi in cold water, then drain.

Place into a pot of boiling water and cook for ten to twenty minutes, until slightly softened.

Drain and rinse in cold water.

Place oil into a pan over medium to high heat, heat for thirty seconds.

Add doragi and stir fry three to four minutes.

Add broth and stir fry 1 additional minute.

Add cut green onion and stir fry thirty(30) seconds.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Eggs

Separate yolks from whites.

Combine yolks and whip together.

Pour into a hot oiled pan in a thin layer (tilt pan back and forth to cover bottom of pan).

Cook over medium heat until top is just firm, but bottom is not browned, flip and cook 15 to twenty seconds.

Remove from heat and let cool.

Cut into thin strips about 1/8 inch wide by 1 1/2 inch long.

Repeat with egg whites.

Final Mix:

Add all prepared items, except garnish, to a large salad type bowl and toss gently. Transfer to a large serving platter and garnish with alternating white and yellow egg strips. Sprinkle with remaining sesame seed and serve at room temperature with steamed white rice and ban chan.