Japchae: History, Preparation, and Variations of Korean Glass Noodles

Japchae is a savory and slightly sweet Korean dish consisting of stir-fried glass noodles, vegetables, and meat. The noodles used in the dish are dangmyeon, which are chewy, elastic cellophane noodles made from sweet potato starch. Japchae can be eaten freshly prepared or the next day, served warm, at room temperature, or cold from refrigeration. It is served as a side dish or main course, and when dished over rice it is called japchae-bap.

Name and seventeenth-century palace origins

The Sino-Korean word japchae unites jap meaning mixed and chae meaning vegetable. Joseon records state that japchae was first prepared in the early 17th century by Yi Chung (1568‒1619) for King Gwanghaegun's palace banquet. King Gwanghaegun favored the dish and promoted Yi Chung to a senior government post equivalent to Secretary of the Treasury.

Early Joseon japchae was cooked without noodles or meat, featuring sliced vegetables such as cucumbers, radishes, and shiitake mushrooms.

Twentieth-century adoption of sweet potato noodles

Dangmyeon noodles made from sweet potato starch became an integral, primary component of japchae in the 20th century. The modern noodle form of japchae developed after a dangmyeon manufacturing plant opened in Sariwon in 1919. Shortly after, the 1921 publication Joseon Yori Jebeop was the first cookbook to introduce dangmyeon japchae. Both beef and pork are commonly incorporated into japchae alongside vegetables.

Cooking techniques and garnishes

Each meat and vegetable ingredient is stir-fried separately before being mixed with boiled and drained noodles. Wood ear, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms are commonly used mushrooms in the dish. The assembled dish is traditionally garnished with toasted sesame seeds and chili threads. In addition, thinly fried and shredded egg strips called jidan are placed over the mixed noodles and vegetables as a decorative garnish.

Variations and related dishes

• Japchae-bap: when japchae is served over rice as japchae-bap, black bean jajang sauce is sometimes added.
• Jokchae: a royal court dish prepared with shredded trotter jelly and vegetables.
• Tangpyeong-chae: combines mung bean jelly (nokdu-muk), beef, mung bean sprouts, water dropwort, and mugwort.
• Wolgwa-chae and juksoon-chae: wolgwa-chae is prepared with Oriental pickling melon, beef, and vegetables; juksoon-chae is prepared with bamboo shoots and vegetables.
• Gochu-japchae and buchu-japchae: gochu-japchae is made with shredded green peppers and vegetables; buchu-japchae is made with garlic chives.
• Kongnamul-japchae and haemul-japchae: kongnamul-japchae is made with soybean sprouts; haemul-japchae is prepared with seafood and vegetables.
• Beoseot-japchae: a variation centered around mushrooms.