Easier Vegan Korean Japchae

This is such a special recipe post. Not only is japchae probably my favorite food ever, it also reminds me of the day I learned how to make vegan japchae while in Seoul, South Korea (where my brother lives). I had no idea it was a complex dish to make... I mean, some veggies and noodles, what could be so hard?

Japchae is usually associated with and prepared for birthdays, holidays and other celebrations. Even though it's "just" noodles and veggies, almost every element of this dish is prepared separately, so it ends up being pretty time consuming, not to mention the amount of dishes you would have to wash!

However, I could easily eat it every day, and I'm a lazy cook (always trying to cut corners and be more efficient) so when I started making it at home, I realized I can make a delicious japchae with a fraction of the effort. 

Here we are enjoying our incredible Korean meal with our host Hogan, his wife, and his two daughters. Oh, and Klara, from Stockholm! What a memorable experience.

Here's another fun fact about japchae: the version we know now is not the traditional dish that was served to royalty. It wasn't until within the last 100 years that the dish became popular among "ordinary people" and the noodles, a new import, became part of the dish. A sweeter soy sauce was also introduced, changing the flavor. Beef wasn't a part of the OG version either (or this one!).

​Easier Vegan Japchae

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 white onion, sliced thin
1 bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 bunch spinach
about 3 cups mushrooms (I used 13, mixed variety mushrooms)
2 bunches of glass noodles (sweet potato starch noodles - can be found at Asian grocers)
1/2 cup liquid aminos, tamari, nama shoyu (or soy sauce)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup, or preferred liquid sweetener
2 TBSP sesame oil
Optional: sesame seeds, sliced green onion, or other fresh herb (I added cilantro, not traditional but delicious!)

*Keep in mind this recipe make a very large batch of japchae! You may need to halve it!

Sauce: In a bowl, combine the liquid aminos and maple. Set aside.
Noodles and spinach: Heat a large pot of boiling water, and set the colander in the sink with the spinach in it.
Cook the noodles according to package instructions (usually about 6-7 minutes), then strain into the colander, allowing the noodles to wilt the spinach. Once drained, add noodles and spinach into a large bowl. Use scissors to cut the noodles so that they're shorter in length, as they tend to be ridiculously long! Add about 1/4 to 1/2 of the sauce mixture, and mix together, allowing the noodles to soak up some of the flavors.
Veggies: In a wok or large pan on medium high heat, warm up the sesame oil, then add the carrots, onion, and pepper. Cook on high heat, tossing around frequently. Once the onion has softened or is transparent, add the garlic, then the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms have softened and all ingredients are cooked to your liking, add the remaining sauce*, then the noodles and spinach, tossing it all together. Once everything is mixed and warm, it's ready to serve with a garnish of sesame seeds and sliced green onion. 
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Enjoy!

Recipe Notes:
*makes very large batch, may need to halve
*if the mixture still needs more sauce, you can individually add a splash of maple or liquid aminos as needed
*glass noodles reheat well, although you may need to add more sauce for leftovers as they do absorb