Jap Chae ("Chop Suey")

My mother never wrote down her recipes, but this tastes like hers.  This is a dish we used to have on special occasions-- even American holidays like Thanksgiving.  She always used to make two separate batches.  She made one recipe like this but with sugar added for Kyong, my brother.  The other batch was similar to the one listed below.  Believe me when I say that no one can cook Korean like my mother could!  She was a culinary genius!


Beef:
~1/2 lb sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 tsp sugar
1 TB soy sauce
2 tsp mirin (optional, Mom didn't use this)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds

Mix all ingredients together and cover.  Marinate in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour.

Noodles:
~1/2 lb sweet potato glass noodles or rice vermicelli noodles or myung bean noodles *
2 TB soy sauce
drizzle sesame oil

Prepare the noodles according to the package (boil for about 3 minutes), drain and rinse in cold water.  Place in a mixing bowl with the soy sauce and sesame oil.

Omelette:
1 TB or less vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
little salt and garlic to season

Heat the vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over MED-LOW heat.  When hot, pour in the eggs to make a thin omelette.  Cook slowly 3-4 minutes, to avoid browning the omelette, then flip over and cook the other side until set.  Slide the omelette onto a chopping board and cut into 5 mm strips, season with a pinch of salt and garlic and set aside.

Vegetables:
2 TB vegetable oil
1/2 lg onion sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 spring onions, cut on the bias, thinly
1 carrot, julienned
1/4-1/2 cup canned mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms
*optional: 150g spinach leaves
1 TB sesame seeds
1 TB sesame oil
1 TB soy sauce (optional)
1 TB sugar (optional)
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
garlic powder to taste

Heat the vegetable oil in a wide, deep-sided pan over medium heat.  Tip in the onions and garlic and fry gently without browning, until soft and translucent.

Increase the temperature to MED-HIGH heat and add the marinated beef and juices in the bowl and cook for ~2 minutes.  Stir in the green onions, carrots, mushrooms and spinach (cooked separately in soy sauce, sesame oil and seeds for about 30 seconds, drained).  Cook for 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Tip in all the remaining vegetable ingredients, plus the noodles and omelette and stir-fry for about 2 minutes or until the noodles are glossy and hot through.  Serve at once or cold.  I like it both ways!