Our Korean glass noodle recipe will be the guest star at your summer picnic

To be eaten hot or cold, our Japchae (meaning ‘mixed vegetables' in Korean) recipe achieves the perfect glass noodle

Korean glass noodles in a ceramic glass bowl
Japchae with beef and vegetables (Korean Stir Fried Noodles)
(Image credit: Daniel Stier)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
2 tbs roasted sesame oil
5 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs honey
good grinding of black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed with a pinch of salt
150g beef, very thinly sliced
150g fresh spinach
sunflower oil, for frying
1 large egg, beaten with a pinch of salt
250g sweet-potato glass noodles
1⁄2 large white onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp roasted sesame seeds

Method
Mix together the sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, black pepper and garlic in a bowl. Spoon 2 tbs of this mixture into another bowl and add the beef. Mix well and leave to marinate for at least 15 mins. Reserve the rest of the soy sauce mix.

Rinse the spinach. Place a pan over a medium heat and add the spinach with water still clinging to the leaves. Toss the spinach for 1-2 mins until it has wilted. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then squeeze out the excess water with your hands, making a ball of spinach. Slice it in two and set aside.

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add a little of the sun ower oil. Pour in the beaten egg and fry for a couple of minutes on each side until just set. Remove from the pan and cool, then roll up the omelette and slice into thin strips.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the noodles and cook for 7-8 mins until just tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat a large heavy pan or wok over a medium to high flame and add 1 tbs sunflower oil. Add the onion, carrot and mushrooms and stir-fry for 3 mins. Transfer to a bowl.

Add 1 tbs sunflower oil to the pan, add the beef and stir-fry for another 3 mins. Transfer to a bowl. Return the cooked noodles to the pan, along with the reserved soy sauce mixture. Toss over a medium heat for 2 mins until the noodles have absorbed all the sauce.

Return all the reserved cooked vegetables, the beef, and half the egg strips to the pan, and combine together.

Place in bowls with the remaining egg strips and sesame seeds scattered on top.

INFORMATION

Recipe by Melina Keays, Entertaining Director

Melina Keays is the entertaining director of Wallpaper*. She has been part of the brand since the magazine’s launch in 1996, and is responsible for entertaining content across the print and digital platforms, and for Wallpaper’s creative agency Bespoke. A native Londoner, Melina takes inspiration from the whole spectrum of art and design – including film, literature, and fashion. Her work for the brand involves curating content, writing, and creative direction – conceiving luxury interior landscapes with a focus on food, drinks, and entertaining in all its forms

With contributions from