Recipes › Beetroot › Korean-Style Beetroot Japchae with Sesame and Spring Onion
Korean-Style Beetroot Japchae with Sesame and Spring Onion
Japchae — the Korean glass noodle stir-fry — is given a vivid garden twist here by using matchstick-cut raw beetroot as the primary vegetable, which softens just enough in the wok while keeping a gentle bite. The beetroot bleeds into the noodles, turning everything a deep, jewelled pink, and the soy, sesame oil and gochujang dressing ties it all together with a savoury, lightly spiced warmth. It makes a brilliant weeknight supper on its own or alongside whatever else is coming from the garden.
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Ingredients
- 450 g raw beetroot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks (approximately 5cm long, 3mm thick)
- 200 glass noodles (dangmyeon sweet potato noodles), soaked in cold water for 20 minutes then drainedor rice vermicelli — reduce soaking time to 10 minutes
- 4 tbsp light soy sauceuse tamari for a gluten-free version
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp gochujangor use 1 tsp sriracha for a milder result
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 4 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
- 6 spring onions, white and green parts separated, both thinly sliced
- 150 g shiitake mushrooms, stalks removed, caps thinly slicedor chestnut mushrooms
- 100 g spinach, washed
- 2 tbsp neutral oilsunflower or rapeseed
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Contains: cereals gluten, sesame, soya.
Method
- Soak the glass noodles in cold water for 20 minutes. While they soak, prep all your vegetables — this dish moves quickly once you start cooking so everything needs to be ready before the wok goes on.About 20 min
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, gochujang and caster sugar until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.About 2 min
- Drain the noodles and bring a large pan of water to the boil. Cook the noodles for 5–6 minutes until tender but with a little bite, then drain and toss immediately with 1 tablespoon of the sauce to prevent sticking. Use scissors to cut the noodles into rough 15cm lengths.About 8 min
- Heat a large wok or wide frying pan over a high heat until smoking. Add the neutral oil, then the white parts of the spring onion and the garlic. Stir-fry for 45 seconds.About 2 min
- Add the shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes until softened and beginning to colour at the edges.About 2 min
- Add the beetroot matchsticks and stir-fry for 3 minutes. The beetroot should soften slightly at the edges while remaining firm in the centre. Add the spinach and toss until just wilted, about 1 minute.About 4 min
- Add the cooked noodles and pour over the remaining sauce. Toss everything together vigorously over the heat for 1–2 minutes until the noodles are well coated and heated through. Taste and add more soy sauce if needed.About 2 min
- Remove from the heat and stir through the green parts of the spring onion. Divide between bowls, scatter over the sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Tips
- Cutting the beetroot into consistent matchsticks is worth the effort — irregular pieces cook unevenly. A mandoline with a julienne attachment makes this very fast and keeps your knuckles intact.
- The wok must be genuinely very hot before anything goes in. If it is not smoking, you are steaming rather than stir-frying and the vegetables will be watery.
- Glass noodles clump badly if left to sit without dressing — toss them with sauce the moment they drain.
Ring the changes
- Make it gluten-free by swapping the soy sauce for tamari — check your gochujang label too as some brands contain wheat; a gluten-free version or sriracha is an easy substitute.
- Add 200g of firm tofu, pressed and cubed, fried separately in the wok before you start the vegetables, then folded back in at the end for a more substantial, higher-protein meal.
Keeping it
Leftovers keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot wok with a splash of water to loosen. The noodles will absorb more sauce as they sit, so add an extra dash of soy and sesame oil when reheating.
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