Bulgogi Japchae

What’s better than bulgogi or japchae? Bulgogi and japchae at the same time, of course. I’ve published a similar japchae recipe here before, but this one is different in that the seasonings are more like bulgogi and there’s the addition of spinach. Try both versions out and see which one your prefer.

For the japchae:

• Scant 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 bunch spinach
• 8 ounces Korean sweet potato noodles
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 carrot, cut into 2-inch matchsticks
• 1/2 to 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 3 green onions (green parts only), chopped into 3-inch pieces
• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
• 4 to 6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

For the bulgogi:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ribeye or sirloin steak, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil

1. Make the bulgogi: in a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, honey, and garlic. Add the beef, onion, and sesame seeds and stir until all the beef is coated. Cover the bowl and marinate, refrigerated, 1 to 5 hours.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of the oil, then add half of the meat and onion mixture and cook, stirring occassionally, until the meat is cooked through and the onion has softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer the meat to a bowl and repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and meat and onion mixture. Set aside.
3. Make the japchae: in a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil to blend. Set aside.
4. Fill a medium bowl with an ice bath. Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add the spinach to the boiling water, let cook for 15 seconds, then transfer the spinach to the ice water. (Keep the boiling water in the pot.) Let the spinach cool, then drain. Squeeze the excess water out of the spinach, roughly chop the spinach, and set aside.
5. Add the sweet potato noodles to the boiling water and cook until soft, about 5 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
6. Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the avocado oil, then the carrot, bell pepper, green onion, yellow onion, mushrooms, and garlic, and stir to mix. Stir-fry until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and noodles and stir for about a minute, then add the soy sauce mixture and toss with tongs to coat all the ingredients. Add the bulgogi and mix again until the meat is distributed. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Japchae can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated.)