Flavorful Eomuk Japchae (Stir-Fried Glass Noodles with Fishcakes)
A special one-dish meal of chewy stir-fried fish cakes and vegetables tossed with glass noodles instead of meat.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This easy 2- to 3-serving japchae uses square fish cakes and colorful vegetables instead of meat. Parboiling and then pan-frying the fish cakes until crisp outside gives them a bouncy texture, while stir-frying the boiled glass noodles in oil keeps them chewy and prevents them from getting soggy even after sitting.
- Servings
- 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Dried sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon)100 g
- Square fish cake (eomuk)2 sheets
- Garlic chives (buchu)1 handful
- Baby oyster mushrooms1/4 pack, 50 g
- Onion1/2
- Carrot1/4
Glass noodle seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)2 tbsp
- Sugar1/2 tbsp
Final seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Garlic chives are used here instead of spinach.
Steps
1. Cut the square fish cake in half lengthwise and thinly slice into strips.
Cut or julienne all other ingredients to match the length of the fish cake.
Tear any thick oyster mushrooms once or twice lengthwise.
2. Heat a pan with a little oil, add the onion and a pinch of salt, and stir-fry until translucent.
A pinch of salt you can pick up with your thumb and index finger is enough.
3. Drop the mushrooms into boiling water, take them out within 10 seconds,
rinse in cold water, and squeeze out the excess moisture tightly.
4. Season them ahead of time with 1/2 tsp of regular soy sauce.
You can also just use a little salt.
5. Parboil the fish cake briefly in boiling water to remove excess oils,
then rinse in cold water and drain.
6. Heat a pan with a little oil and stir-fry until the surface turns crisp;
this keeps it from turning soggy and gives it a nice bouncy chew.
7. Add a little salt to the carrot and stir-fry until tender and glossy.
8. Stir-fry the garlic chives just briefly until barely wilted.
Spinach is expensive and not very flavorful these days, so I used fresh garlic chives from my garden instead.
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9. Boil the sweet potato glass noodles in boiling water for about 9 to 10 minutes.
You can also check the boiling time printed on the noodle package.
Rinse in cold water, drain well, and cut into easy-to-eat lengths ahead of time.
10. Add the boiled glass noodles to a pan generously coated with oil and stir-fry.
Stir-frying the glass noodles in oil keeps them chewy and prevents them from getting soggy even after sitting.
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11. Add 2 tbsp regular soy sauce and 1/2 tbsp sugar, and stir-fry while mixing evenly.
12. Once the noodles are evenly coated and colored by the soy sauce, remove from the heat.
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13. Add the cooked vegetables, then add 1/2 tbsp regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds,
and toss thoroughly so the ingredients and seasonings blend well together.
14. Taste, and if it is too mild, add a bit more soy sauce.
Ppunwife's tips
- Stir-frying the square fish cake in an oiled hot pan until the exterior turns crisp prevents sogginess and gives it a delightfully bouncy chew.
- Stir-frying the boiled glass noodles in oil keeps them springy and prevents them from turning soggy over time.
FAQ
How can I prevent the glass noodles from getting soggy?
After boiling and rinsing the glass noodles, stir-frying them first in a pan generously coated with oil will keep them bouncy and prevent them from becoming soggy over time.
What is the secret to a great texture for the fish cakes?
Briefly parboil them in boiling water, drain well, and then stir-fry in an oiled hot pan until the outside turns crisp. This keeps them from going limp and makes them pleasantly chewy.
Can I use other vegetables instead of garlic chives? AI-generated
Yes, you can easily substitute other vegetables like spinach or bell peppers.
