Korean Japchae

I was introduced to the Korean Japchae on a first date back in 2011 in a restaurant with such poor decor and ambience that it either signalled the food was going to be life changing or that it was destined to be as bad as its flickering fluorescent lights - much like the date.

As my chopsticks approached these worm-like semi translucent noodles mixed with vegetables, I had no idea I would spend the next few years trying to re-create that food experience to little avail.

Korean cuisine has since become so mainstream that sweet potato noodles (their real name) now grace the shelves at Woolworths. I was delighted to see this elusive Japchae advertised in a local foodie mag with the recipe adjoined. We tried it that very night and the moment was finally re-created. However I was disappointed, as I always seem to be, at the realisation of how high the sugar content is in these seemingly healthy dishes.

But it is still included in here because I'm willing to tolerate sugar, sometimes for the greater good of an amazing, simple and hearty dinner.

Ingredients:
1 x 100g packet sweet potato noodles
150g beef - we use Grasslands Premium Beef Grass-fed Eye Fillet Steak (stir-fry sliced)
2 tbsp oil
150g mixed vegetables (shiitake mushroom, red capsicum thinly sliced and cut in halves, onion cut in segments lengthways, carrot cut in thirds and thinly sliced lengthways)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil

Marinade Ingredients:
1 tsp garlic, minced
Pepper, pinch
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil

Method:
1. Add noodles to boiling water and cook for 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. Mix marinade ingredients in a bowl, add beef, stir and leave to marinate in fridge.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in non-stick wok and stir-fry vegetables with beef (with marinade), until beef is cooked. Remove from heat, set aside.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in same wok, stir-fry noodles with soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil for 2-3minutes.
5. Toss in cooked vegetables and beef. Serve hot.

Serves 2