How to Make Traditional Korean Japchae (Glass Noodles)

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   1. Preparation & Spinach Blanching Trim the spinach by separating the stems [00:22]. Blanch in boiling water with a pinch of salt for 50 seconds, then immediately rinse in cold water [00:30]. Squeeze out all excess moisture and season with salt and a touch of sesame oil [00:47].

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   2. Slicing Ingredients Thinly slice the onion, paprika, and carrot into long strips [00:57]. Shred the flat fish cakes and soaked shiitake mushrooms into matchsticks [01:28]. Hand-tear the soaked wood ear mushrooms and slice the pork into thin strips [02:58]. Cut the dry glass noodles once with scissors to make them easier to handle [05:07].

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   3. Sautéing Toppings Individually Sauté each vegetable individually with a pinch of salt to maintain their distinct colors, starting with the onion and green onions [03:13]. Stir-fry the wood ear mushrooms with 1T of soy sauce [03:54]. Sauté the fish cakes with soy sauce and pepper [04:04]. Stir-fry the pork and shiitake mushrooms together with soy sauce, sugar, pepper, and sesame oil [04:13].

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   4. Boiling & Seasoning Glass Noodles Prepare the boiling water with 1 cup of dark sugar and 1.5 cups of soy sauce [05:30]. Boil the glass noodles in this mixture for 7-8 minutes until they become transparent and well-colored [06:04]. Drain the noodles and immediately coat them with sesame oil to prevent sticking [06:23]. Season the hot noodles further with extra soy sauce and sugar [06:41].

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   5. Final Assembly & Secret Touch Combine the seasoned noodles with all the sautéed toppings except for the spinach in a large bowl [07:08]. Once the noodles have cooled down slightly, add the seasoned spinach [07:38]. For the final secret touch, add 0.5T of vinegar and mix thoroughly to brighten the overall flavor and prevent clumping [07:56].