Korean Sweet Potato Noodles with Vegetables...Chap Chae

With Korean food a lot on my hungry mind and enjoying nutritious kimchi these days, I held a one-off Korean cuisine class with the seniors in my Chinese cooking program to highlight some of my all-time favourites. On the menu- chap chae and kimchi pancakes, two styles. Korean popular chap chae's chewy glass sweet potato noodles can absorb a lot of flavour. It's signature savoury and sweet taste is made simple with a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and sesame oil with your choice of sauteed vegetables, with or without meat. It's one of those dishes that wow, with all the colourful, healthful ingredients and is sure to please at any gathering for a crowd or to tote as a potluck.

Chap Chae topped with shredded egg crepes.

Chap Chae
Makes 6 to 8 servings (double the recipe to serve a crowd)

~ 250 g sweet potato or mung bean noodles, cook according to package instructions
2 eggs, beaten
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound baby spinach, stems removed, blanched, drained and water squeezed out
2 carrots, cut into match-sticks or peeled into strips with a peeler
1/2 or 1 green or coloured bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green onion, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces, reserving some to chop and use for garnish
6 shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated in water to cover for four hours, drained and sliced
(or use a handful of mixed fresh mushrooms- oyster, king and enoki, sliced)
1 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. sesame oil, divided
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sugar
toasted sesame seeds
120 g sliced beef or pork (optional)*

Cook eggs into a thin crepe; let cool and slice into thin short strips.

In a large wok/skillet, heat oil and 1 Tbsp. sesame oil over medium heat. Add onion slices and come garlic; sauté for about one minute. Season spinach with a little garlic and salt; set aside. Add vegetables except for spinach and cook for four to five minutes, until the vegetables are tender-crisp.

Turn heat to low and add cooked noodles, meat (if using), soy sauce, sugar, and the remaining 1 Tbsp. sesame oil. Mix to combine and cook for another two minutes. Remove from heat and mix in spinach and egg; garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions on top.

The fantastic ladies in my TDSB Learn4Life Chinese Cooking Program. 

Two skillets of chap chae going cause you know, we are feeding a crowd!

Oh my gosh, looks even more incredible with the crepe shreds piled high in the centre! Come and get it!

Meanwhile we have two kimchi pancake batters ready to rock and roll in the skillets.

Kimchi Pancakes and Mini Kimchi Zucchini Pancakes

Devourable with a complimentary equal part soy sauce and rice vinegar dip with sesame oil.

Another presentation of chap chae- more traditional here!

Make it a seafood chap chae, by sauteing shrimps and mixing it with the cooked seasoned noodles and vegetables at the end (try it with squid too).

Versatile, healthy and delicious, give this a try next time for your family, casual or entertaining gathering.