Japchae Noodles Won’t Swell: Add This Simple Trick!

Japchae, a representative food for holidays and banquets, tends to cause the noodles to absorb moisture and swell over time after cooking.

◆ Japchae, do not boil, but ‘30 minutes in lukewarm water.’

To prevent the blowing phenomenon, instead of the traditional method of boiling the noodles in boiling water, a method of soaking them in lukewarm water and boiling them directly in a seasoning sauce containing cooking oil to coat the outside of the noodles should be applied.

The method revealed by YouTube ‘Hatrim’ is as follows. The first step in determining the texture of japchae is the preprocessing of the noodles. When you boil glass noodles in boiling water, the starch becomes excessively gelatinized, causing the noodles to spread easily and lose elasticity. Therefore, we recommend soaking the noodles in lukewarm water for about 30 minutes. Sufficiently soaked glass noodles must be placed on a strainer to completely remove moisture. Through this process, adequate moisture is supplied to the center of the noodles, allowing them to remain chewy even after cooking.

The key is not to mix the soaked glass noodles with vegetables right away, but to start with oil coating and then simmer them in a separate marinade. The golden ratio for marinade is 5 tablespoons of dark soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of cooking oil, and 1 cup (about 200 ml) of water. Put these ingredients in a pan and boil them first, then add the soaked glass noodles when the seasoning starts boiling. At this time, the cooking oil forms a thin oil film on the surface of the noodles during the boiling process. This oil film acts as a ‘coating’ that blocks excessive penetration of external moisture into the inside of the noodles and prevents the noodles from swelling over time.

After adding the noodles, you need to simmer them until there is almost no liquid left at the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat when the noodles have absorbed all the seasoning and the surface becomes shiny. Afterwards, add the pre-fried spinach, carrots, onions, meat, etc. and mix well. Lastly, add sesame oil and sesame seeds to finish. Japchae made with this recipe retains its texture and elasticity even when it is cooled over time or refrigerated and then reheated.

◆ Tips for returning to ‘freshly made’ state after refrigeration

No matter how well made Japchae is, if it is stored in the refrigerator, the starch will harden and age. At this time, if you put it in the microwave right away, the moisture will evaporate and the noodles will easily break. The best way is to place the japchae in a pan, lightly sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of water, cover, and heat over low heat. As steam gradually penetrates into the noodles, the hardened oil coating becomes flexible again, restoring more than 90% of the texture immediately after cooking.

Sweet potato starch, the main ingredient in glass noodles, is very sensitive to temperature and moisture. ‘Boiling’ expands starch particles indefinitely in a large amount of water, but ‘boiling’ method heats them with oil while supplying only a limited amount of moisture. This contributes to slowing down the aging rate of starch. In particular, the oil coating physically prevents moisture in the air or juice from vegetables from being absorbed into the noodles, which prevents the noodles from sticking together like rice cakes even when eaten the next day.

Glass noodles are made from refined starch and are a food that can quickly raise blood sugar levels. To compensate for this, it is recommended to increase the proportion of wood ear mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms, which are rich in dietary fiber, when cooking japchae. The dietary fiber in mushrooms slows down the absorption of carbohydrates and has the effect of relatively reducing carbohydrate intake in noodles. Additionally, using allulose or stevia instead of sugar can reduce calories while maintaining umami, making it a suitable alternative for health-conscious consumers.