Food Experiment

I get pretty bored with the same foods every day, so last week I had a grand idea. "Why not make food from a different country every week?" JACKPOT! This last week we had Korean food. It was so good, I'm extending it to this coming week as well.

Today's recipe: 잡채 JapChae (Pronounced: jahp-chae)

• dangmyun (type of korean noodle)
• 1/3 lb beef sliced thinly (any type of roast or steak)
• 1 bunch of spinach
• 1 medium size carrot sliced into matchstick sized strips
• 1 medium size onion sliced thinly
• mushrooms (5 dried shiitake-soaked if dehydrated and 1 package of white mushrooms-sliced)
• 3 cloves of garlic-minced
• 7-8 green onions cut into 2 in strips
• Soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, pepper, and toasted sesame seed

1. Boil 2 bunches of noodles in boiling water in a big pot for about 3 minutes. When the noodles are soft, drain them and put in a large bowl.
2. Cut the noodles several times by using scissors and add 1 tbs of soy sauce and 1 tbs of sesame oil. Mix it up and set aside.
   
3. In the boiling water, add a bunch of spinach and stir it gently for 1 minute. Then take it out and rinse it in cold water. Cut it into 2 in pieces.
4. Add ½ tbs soy sauce and ½ tbs sesame oil and mix it and place it onto the large bowl.
   
5. On a heated pan, put in a few drops of olive oil and your carrot strips and stir it with a spatula for 30 seconds. Put it into the large bowl (don’t burn it!).
6. Place a few drops of olive oil on the pan and add your sliced onion. Stir it until the onion looks translucent. Put it into the large bowl with your carrots.
7. Place a few drops of olive oil on the pan and add the sliced white mushrooms. Stir it for a bit and then put it in the large bowl.
8. Place a few drops of olive oil on the pan and add your green onions. Stir for 1 minute and put it into the large bowl.
9. Place a few drops of olive oil on the pan and add your beef strips and your sliced shitake mushrooms. Stir it until it’s cooked well, then add 3 cloves of minced garlic, ½ tbs soy sauce and ½ tbs sugar. Stir for another 30 seconds and then put it into the large bowl.
10. Add 2 tbs of soy sauce, 3 tbs of sugar, 2 tbs of sesame oil, and 1 ts of ground pepper to the large bowl. Mix all ingredients, then sprinkle 1 tbs of toasted sesame seeds on the top.
11. Serve with rice and Kimchi, or as a side dish.