Spicy Kongnamul Japchae (Spicy Stir-fried Soybean Sprouts with Glass Noodles)
A simple dish made with soybean sprouts and glass noodles. Its spicy flavor makes it excellent as a side dish or an accompaniment to drinks.
📝 Editor's Notes
This spicy Kongnamul Japchae (Spicy Stir-fried Soybean Sprouts with Glass Noodles) offers an addictive flavor with crunchy soybean sprouts and chewy glass noodles mixed in a spicy sauce. It's a versatile dish that's quick and easy to make without complicated steps, perfect as a side dish or an accompaniment to drinks. The spicy yet refreshing umami taste is exceptional.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
When choosing soybean sprouts, it's best to select plump ones that are neither too thick nor too thin, with fewer small roots. If you don't have tuna sauce (참치액), you can add a little fish sauce or guk-ganjang (Korean soy sauce for soup) for extra umami. If raw sugar (원당) is unavailable, regular sugar or oligosaccharide can be substituted. Remember to soak the glass noodles beforehand to shorten cooking time and achieve a chewier texture.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
The most important step is stir-frying the gochugaru (고춧가루). The key is to turn off the heat and mix it with residual heat first to prevent burning, then briefly stir-fry over very low heat to create chili oil. Also, placing the glass noodles on top of the soybean sprouts and steaming them covered over high heat for 2 minutes prevents the noodles from sticking and eliminates any fishy smell from the sprouts. Lastly, remember to stir-fry quickly to preserve the crunchy texture!
👨🍳 Directions
- 1
Pour warm water over 100g of glass noodles and soak for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, thoroughly wash 480g of soybean sprouts and drain them well.
- 2
Slice the white part of 1 green onion (about 85g) in half lengthwise, then cut diagonally.
- 3
Heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil in a pan, add 1 tbsp of minced garlic, turn on the heat, and stir-fry until fragrant. It's best to only lightly bring out the aroma of the garlic before it turns golden brown, as this pairs better with the spicy seasoning.
- 4
Turn off the heat, add 2 tbsp of gochugaru (고춧가루), and mix well with the residual heat. Gochugaru can easily burn and become bitter if stir-fried over high heat, so ensure it blends thoroughly with the oil while the heat is off.
- 5
Stir-fry briefly over very low heat until chili oil forms. Once the oil turns reddish and fragrant, turn off the heat.
- 6
Add 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp tuna sauce (참치액), 1 tsp raw sugar (원당), 2 tbsp oyster sauce, and 150ml water. Mix well and bring to a boil over high heat.
- 7
Once the sauce boils, add the soybean sprouts first, then place the glass noodles on top, ensuring they don't touch the bottom of the pan.
- 8
Cover and cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Do not open the lid during this time to allow the temperature to rise quickly, which will soften the glass noodles and prevent any fishy smell from the soybean sprouts.
- 9
After 2 minutes, mix well and stir-fry over high heat. Once the sauce is evenly coated, add 1 tsp black pepper and the prepared green onion, and stir-fry quickly.
- 10
Stir-fry quickly to prevent the glass noodles from becoming mushy and to maintain the crunchy texture of the soybean sprouts. Turn off the heat and finally add sesame oil (참기름) to finish. Adding sesame oil after turning off the heat preserves its aroma and enhances its nutty flavor.
💡 Tips
Soaking the glass noodles in warm water beforehand allows them to absorb moisture evenly, resulting in a firmer and chewier texture.
Thoroughly washing and draining the soybean sprouts prevents the seasoning from becoming watery and ensures a better flavor.
Instead of browning the minced garlic, lightly bring out its aroma before it changes color, which pairs better with the spicy seasoning.
Gochugaru (고춧가루) can easily burn and become bitter if stir-fried over high heat. Therefore, mix it with oil off the heat, then stir-fry briefly over very low heat to create chili oil.
Placing the glass noodles on top of the soybean sprouts to steam prevents them from sticking or burning on the bottom. Cooking with the lid closed also ensures the soybean sprouts become tender without any fishy smell.
Add sesame oil (참기름) at the very end, after turning off the heat, to preserve its aroma and enhance its nutty flavor.
🥢 Who This Is For
Anyone who enjoys spicy flavors will surely be satisfied. It's an excellent choice for a casual housewarming dish, a late-night snack, or a night when you want a drink. Highly recommended for students living alone or busy working mothers!
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