There are lots of variations for chapchae noodles. As long as you’re using Korean sweet potato vermicelli noodles and a soy/ginger/garlic sauce you’re pretty much there and can throw in your favorite meat and vegetables. This version is pretty typical, although it doesn’t have the often used mushrooms in it………cuz I really think mushrooms are gross and, anyway, elves use them as homes and I’m no home wrecker.
Chapchae can be made with beef instead of pork. I usually serve it with bulgogi (Korean bbq beef) so here’s my pork version.
INGREDIENTS:
For the marinade:
- 2 lb thin boneless pork chops, sliced into thin strips (or beef)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1″ piece of ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
For the stir fry:
- 1 onion, sliced thin
- 6 cups spinach or bok choy leaves
- 2 carrots, julienned
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms (If you wanna. You’re the elf hater. Not me.)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 4 green onions, chopped
- sesame seeds
- sesame oil to stir fry
- 1 lb sweet potato vermicelli (tang myon) noodles
RECIPE:
Slice the pork (or beef) into thin strips and place in a ziplock bag. Add the marinade ingredients, stir to combine, and add to the pork. Marinade for at least an hour.
Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain in a colander and cut with scissors. They’re really long noodles and if you don’t cut them you’ll need to sit on a ladder at the dinner table to eat them. Add the drained noodles to a large mixing bowl where you’ll toss with the meat and vegetables.
In a wok or stir fry pan, add a tablespoon of sesame oil and stir fry the carrots over medium high heat. After about 3 minutes, add a tablespoon of the marinade to the pan and continue to stir fry until carrots are done but still have some crunch to them, about 5 minutes. Remove and add to the noodles. Add another tbsp of oil to the pan and cook the meat (and mushrooms, while you gloat at all the elves you’ve rendered homeless). You may have to do this in batches – if you overcrowd the pan the pork won’t sear – it’ll just steam. Add the cooked meat (and – sigh! – mushrooms) to the noodles. Add another tbsp of oil to the empty, hot pan and stir fry the onions with remaining marinade until crisp but cooked through. Just before the onions are cooked add the spinach or bok choy leaves and allow to absorb sauce and wilt just a little bit. Toss the mixture with the noodles and other vegetables until the noodles are completely covered with the sauce.
Fry the eggs over medium heat in a pan just big enough for the mixture to be about 1/8″ thick when cooked through. Slice it into strips and serve on top of the chapchae noodles. Add green onions on top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and serve!
