By Honorary Reporter Aya Fahmy Elhadidy from Egypt
Photos = Aya Fahmy Elhadidy

The dish japchae (stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables) is often served on important occasions and holidays in Korea, especially those bringing families together. A popular dish among Koreans of all ages, the food is also considered a healthy option thanks to its array of vegetables and a staple meal on holidays like Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) eaten with tteok (rice cake) and jeon (fried pancakes).

Now that japchae's ingredients are widely available near me, I decided to make my own version. The recipe is below.

Preparation

1) Soak dried black mushroom in water until it expands in size and settle the noodles by covering them with boiling water. This makes it easier to cook later with vegetables.
2) Cook the spinach in hot water just until tender.
3) Thinly slice the white onions, red, yellow and green peppers, carrots and regular mushrooms. 

This photo collage and two others below show my preparation of japchae, with the numbers indicating the stage at which the ingredients are cooked.

Cooking

1) Stir-fry the vegetables in groups: white onions with regular and dried black mushrooms and carrots with green, red and yellow peppers.

2) Add a few pinches of salt in the process.

3) After preparing the vegetables, settle the meat and season it with garlic, ginger, sesame oil and soy sauce.

4) Next, make the noodle sauce using a cup of water, four tablespoons of soy sauce, two tablespoons of sesame oil and a light pinch of black pepper powder. The proportions are adjustable based on personal preference.

5) Combine the prepared ingredients and stir until everything is evenly distributed.

I let my mother try the dish when celebrating Chuseok this year, and she loved it. I highly recommend making this dish for your family. It's not spicy so everyone can enjoy it, even those unfamiliar with Korean cuisine, and its colors make it aesthetically pleasing.

My completed japchae

kalhong617@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.