Japchae

Each year I make this for passover, because it is "kosher enough" for my friends-- the noodles are made from sweet potato starch, not rice, and the other ingredients are close enough to pass muster. Added benefit: it gives an excuse to eat plenty of kimchi as our "bitter herb."

Every time (other than Passover) that I think about making this recipe I have to ask myself how much I REALLY like the people I am presenting it. This is a lot of work-- none of it complicated, but extremely labor-intensive. I like to cook in a leisurely fashion. Before I even turn on the stove, I like to have all my ingredients prepped and in individual bowls like I am the star of my own cooking show. I like to clean as I go and keep the chaos to a minimum. Because of all this, this recipe takes me a good three hours from the first veggie sliced to the last dish washed. That said, someone less methodical might get it done more quickly, but I'd hate to clean your kitchen at the end. One last note: You will need a lot of counter space. You should plan to have a work area and an area where prepped ingredients can sit while you labor away on the rest.

I lied. One more note: The noodles are hard to find if you do not have Korean specialty stores where you live. There is no really good substitute among the millions of asian noodles out there, because these are curiously muscular and elastic, almost alive. I looked to see if I could find them online and I couldn't. so if you live somewhere that you cannot get these noodles, I will send them to you if you are dying to try this recipe. Seriously.

Now, without further preambling...

Japchae (enough for 8, easily)

You will need:
A mandoline
A large, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or wok
Lots of bowls

Ingredients:
(for the yangnyumjang sauce)

6 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rice wine
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons sesame salt (Instead of buying this, I grind equal parts sesame seeds and sea salt in a mortar and pestle.)
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped scallions
2 teaspoons finely minced ginger
2 teaspoons garlic

(veggies & fixin's)

1/2 pound extra-firm tofu (traditionally, this is sirloin steak)

1/4 cup dried shitake mushrooms (about 4 large or 8 small)

1/2 cup fresh oyster mushrooms

1/2 large onion

3 English hothouse cucumbers

2-3 carrots (enough to make 1 cup julienned)

2 red bell peppers

2 scallions sliced lengthwise

(things you will need to add during cooking)

salt
pepper
canola oil for cooking
extra sesame oil
2-3 garlic cloves chopped

(noodles)

12 ounces Korean dangmyen noodles (Found in Korean specialty stores. These are made with sweet potato starch, hence their kosher-for-Passoverness.)



Preparation:
First, press your tofu while you prepare the other ingredients: cut into 2-inch x 1/3-inch strips, and press on a clean dishtowel under a heavy cutting board (with cans on top) for about 20 minutes.

Mix all ingredients to make the sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Put on a saucepan of water to boil. Set aside while you continue prepping other ingredients.

Slice the cucumbers into 5-inch julienne using the mandoline. Spread on a large plate, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and let rest 25 minutes.

Julienne the onion lengthwise. Put in bowl, set aside.

Julienne the carrots. Put in bowl, set aside.

Put shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot tap water. Set aside.

Trim and de-seed the peppers and slice into 2-inch strips.

Is the water boiling? Pour a generous handful of salt in it. Put a colander in the sink and have a large bowl of cold water at the ready. Blanch the peppers in the boiling water for 45 seconds, then REMOVE WITH A SLOTTED SPOON (keep the boiling water in the pan), transfer to the bowl of cold water for 10 seconds, then throw them in the colander to drain. Slice into thin strips. Put in a bowl and set aside.

Repeat this with the oyster mushrooms, blanching them for about 30 seconds, then shocking them in cold water. Then drain, squeeze out excess water, and slice into thin strips. Put in bowl and set aside.

Remove the shiitake mushrooms from the water, squeeze out excess water, and slice them thin. Put in a bowl and set aside.

Go back to your cucumbers, roll them in a dry cloth or paper towel and gently squeeze out excess liquid.

Take your tofu off the towel and place in a bowl.

At this point, I like to line everything up and clean off the counters, do the accumulated dishes.



Now you are ready to cook.

Add 4 tablespoons of the yangnyumjang sauce to the tofu and combine well. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add tofu, stir-frying until golden brown and starting to crisp. The best way of accomplishing crispy, not spongy, tofu is to cook over high heat and DO NOT POKE IT. Let it sit undisturbed until it starts to brown on one side, then flip with a spatula to repeat on the other side. Set cooked tofu aside.

Mix shitake with 1 tablespoon of yangnyumjang. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in wok over medium heat. Add shiitakes, stir-frying about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Season oyster mushrooms with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and a dash of pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in wok over medium heat. Add mushrooms, stir-frying 1-2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with shiitakes.

Add 1 teaspoon of oil to wok over medium heat. When hot, add onion, stirring frequently. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Saute about 3 minutes, adding a little water if onions stick. Remove from heat and transfer to bowl with mushrooms.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in wok over medium-high heat. Stir-fry cucumber skins, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and spread on a plate to cool.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add carrots and cook 2-3 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Remove from heat. Spread on plate to cool.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in wok over medium-high heat. Add red bell pepper with 1-1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in scallion, 1 teaspoon sesame salt and a dash of pepper, combining well.

Cook noodles according to package directions, and immediately rinse with cold water and toss with sesame oil to prevent them from becoming a huge gelatinous blob. Using kitchen scissors, cut them into manageable lengths (about 8-10 inches, to your preference.) Toss with remaining yangnyumjang sauce.

Toss everything else in when all ingredient are cooled. I sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped scallion/chives to serve. Serve at room temperature or chilled.