Who among you likes noodles? What is your favorite noodles? I suppose if you're Asian, more so Oriental - you can't but help but eat noodles. Noodles is a part of being Asian - wherever you go in Asia - be it in the Philippines, Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and yes I could go on - just to say - you'll surely find noodles. In fact, where there are Asians - there would always be noodles. Why? Because noodles is very easy to freaking prepare not to mention they are freaking delicious. If you'd ask me to choose between spaghetti and noodles - though I love spaghetti so much - I'd go for noodles.
Are you a vegetarian and a health buff, too and are sometimes running out of ideas on what to cook that would not be boring, still is yum and most of all easy to do? Most of the time .. back when I was still single - I go for noodles or pasta. It's very easy to prepare isn't it? Unfortunately, most of them are high in gluten which will make your skin pay the toll of eating them in your later years.
Luckily, some foodie have made their own gluten-free flour and so - came the gluten free sorts of pasta and noodles these days. Before that revolution has even begun, the Koreans have already figured out - the glass noodles . Yes, this, too is gluten-free. It's made from sweet potato. No, it's not similar to the cellophane noodles that is made from pea or rice or mung beans. Look for one that's made from sweet potatoes to make sure they are gluten-free. You could find them in you toko or Asian store and they look almost grayish and translucent plus - the fibers are fatter than the usual rice noodles.
It's pretty easy to make - just like your usual instant noodles - this is just more of the healthier option with the yum.
What do you need to make one?
The traditional Jap Chae is cooked with sesame oil. My hub is from the West and sesame oil is pretty strong for his palate so I'm using olive oil since it's subtler and tasteless.
How to prepare?
Cook the noodles 1 minute less than the time written according to packaging instructions. (Mine says 9 minutes.) Rinse with cold water then let drain.
Wash each vegetable, peel what needs peeling then cut them into thin strips. Stir fry till half cooked and set aside on another plate. Don't forget to salt them while stir frying - salting them would let the taste out of each vegetable. Why half cooked? Over cooking the vegetables kills the vitamins and minerals you are after them ... not to mention - it makes the vegetable loose its own taste.
- Take 2 eggs and crack each open and separate the white from the yolk. Fry them separately, too and cut into thin strips or roll them then set the pan aside but don't get them off the pan till you are ready to serve to keep them warm. To roll the egg -check this out.
- By this time, your dried shiitake mushrooms are ready. Slice them into thin pieces, stir fry, add in salt and when they are cooked throw in the glass noodles and cook for another minute. You may add the rest of the vegetables in the pan and mix them with the vegetables or just lay them on top of the noodles with the rest of the ingredients.
Jap Chae has a distinctive taste - it's not your usual salty instant noodles. It tastes like eating a steak but then minus the meat. The noodles is springy and can also be enjoyed cold. Would you make one if you could find the glass noodles? Or have you actually tried one? Was it vegetarian or fit for a meat eater - yes, you may prepare Jap Chae with meat. Did you like it?
I took each picture with a Samsung Galaxy A3 2016 edition.