Korean · main

Vegetable Japchae

Vegetable Japchae reads umami 5.8, salinity 5.2 and sweetness 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Korean main, about 32 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.6 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.7 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.8 · Salinity 5.2 · Sweetness 5.1 · Nutty 5.0 · Richness 5.0 · Allium 4.0 · Funk & Ferment 2.8 · Earthy 2.6 · Fruity 1.7 · Herbaceous 1.5 · Sourness 1.2 · Bitterness 1.0 · Citrus 0.8 · Warm Spice 0.7 · Floral 0.6

What's in it (14)

• rice noodles — 227 g
• soy sauce — 59 g
• dark sesame oil — 27 g
• sugar — 25 g
• vegetable oil — 41 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• carrots — 120 g
• red bell pepper — 100 g
• shiitake mushrooms — 227 g
• baby spinach — 142 g
• scallions — 400 g
• garlic — 9 g
• salt — 5 g
• ground toasted sesame seeds — 30 g

Time & effort: about 32 min (27 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 131.1 kcal, 2.6 g protein, 5.7 g fat, 17.7 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the glass noodles until tender and translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and snip into shorter strands with kitchen scissors. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil; set aside.
2. Using the same pot of boiling water, blanch the spinach for 30 seconds until just wilted. Drain, rinse under cold water, and squeeze dry; chop coarsely and toss with a pinch of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil; set aside.
3. Toss the sliced shiitake mushrooms with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and set aside to marinate while you prep the remaining vegetables, about 5 minutes.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened and lightly golden at the edges, 3 to 4 minutes; transfer to a large mixing bowl.
5. Add another 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauté the carrots until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes; add the bell pepper and sauté until just softened, 2 minutes more. Transfer both to the bowl with the onion.
6. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the marinated mushrooms; sauté until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more; transfer to the bowl.
7. Return the noodles to the pan with the remaining soy sauce and sugar; stir-fry, tossing constantly, until the noodles are glossy and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Add the sautéed vegetables, wilted spinach, and scallions back to the pan; toss over medium heat until everything is evenly combined and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with the remaining salt to taste.
9. Plate immediately, drizzle with the remaining sesame oil, and finish with a scattering of toasted sesame seeds.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Japchae with Beef — Korean
• Japchae (잡채) — Korean
• Vegetable Egg Foo Young — Chinese-American
• One-Pan Vegetable Fried Rice with Egg — Chinese-American
• Gong Bao Chicken (Gong Bao Ji Ding) — Chinese · Sichuan

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, sweetness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.