Keto Japchae (Korean Glass Noodle Stir Fry)

One of my best friends is Korean-American. When we were roommates in college, at my request, she used to make me Japchae on my birthday. It’s a flavorful dish of fresh veggies and marinated beef, all twirled around “glass noodles” made from sweet potato starch. More subtle than it’s Chinese dish counterparts, I simply love japchae for its harmony and fresh flavors. Although you can make it as “saucy” as you like, it’s typically lighter on the sauce, to let the flavors of veggies and beef really shine through. mmmmmm!

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Since I switched to a low carb diet, these types of noodle dishes have been off the menu. It’s been a long time since I’ve had it! However, I recently discovered a way to soften kelp noodles, which resemble glass noodles. Yeeesssss! I immediately thought of japchae! So I set off to recreate a low carb version, and here it is. 🙂 It turned out beautifully.

What is Japchae?

Japchae is a traditional dish in Korea, usually made on holidays or special occasions. It’s a popular dish for birthdays, weddings and parties. In Korean, the word japchae means “mixed vegetables” (jap = mixed; chae = vegetables). It can be served as a side dish or a main course, and can be served either hot or cold.

I will admit that I did take a bit of a shortcut when it comes to the amount of steps to prepare this dish. There are many ways to prepare it, depending on who you talk to, but I chose the most straight forward method. For example, some people blanch the spinach and then squeeze out the water, whereas I just threw it in with the rest of the veggies and let it wilt. Some people marinate the veggies as well, whereas I did not. Some people make a sauce that is separate from the beef marinade (but contains almost all the same ingredients), whereas I just used the marinade as the sauce. All in all, I was able to cut down on some of the steps to save time, yet still kept the most important elements. It turned out splendidly.

Metal Chopsticks?

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Fun fact! Koreans favor the use of metal chopsticks. They are more hygienic, easier to clean, they last longer (much like western silverware, they could last a lifetime if properly taken care of), plus they come in handy when making Korean BBQ for picking up hot pieces of meat from the grill. The chopsticks are usually flat, like western silverware, instead of round. But there is a catch: I find them to be very difficult to eat with because they are thin, heavy, and the metal is more slippery than wood. Advanced chopstick users only! But if you are confident in your chopsticking skills, you might consider getting yourself a pair of Korean chopsticks to go along with your silverware set.

Tips & Tricks

• Make sure you take the time to marinate both the noodles and the beef. Especially the noodles. Without marinating the noodles in lemon juice, they will be hard and crunchy. See below for the full step-by-step instructions.
• Do you really need that much avocado oil? No, not really. But it’s more keto friendly. If you are low carb but not keto, you can reduce the avocado oil by half.
• Switch up the veggies! I used veggies that are traditional for this dish, but you could certainly use other low-carb veggies instead. Here are some ideas: asparagus, kale, bok choy, edamame, shredded cabbage, shredded zucchini and bean sprouts. It is also not uncommon to add egg to the dish.
• Japchae typically has some sugar in it, just to give it a touch of sweetness. I decided to avoid sweeteners and sugars in this recipe to keep it more natural and low-carb, however you could certainly add a bit of sweetener if you wish.
• Japchae can be served hot or cold. It’s a great meal to prep ahead of time and then eat as leftovers. It’s one of those dishes that arguably tastes even better the next day.
• I usually get my kelp noodles at either Whole Foods Market or on Amazon. There are lots of brands to choose from, though my favorite is Sea Tangle Noodle Company.

How to Make Kelp Noodles *SOFT*

Kelp noodles can be eaten raw, but they are crunchy. That’s great for a topping on salads or inside a lettuce wrap, but not so great for noodle dishes like this one. But never fear, kelp noodles CAN get soft! Just follow these steps:

1. Rinse well under running water.
2. Combine 12 oz (340g) noodles with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and a pinch of salt. You could also add ½ teaspoon baking soda (it will bubble, that’s normal) for extra softening, but the noodles will soften just fine without it. Mix well so that all noodles get coated, then let it sit and marinate for at least 10 minutes. Stir every few minutes to ensure all noodles get covered in juice.
3. Once the noodles are soft, add them (including the lemon juice marinade) to 5 cups of boiling water and let simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Drain and rinse. Your noodles are good to go!

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Alright, time to dig in to some japchae!

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