Chap Chae
A Korean stir-fry of mixed vegetables and noodles garnished attractively with the yellow and white egg shapes that are so typically Korean.
Ingredients
- 225g / 8oz rump or sirloin steak
- 115g / 4oz cellophane noodles, soaked for 20 minutes in hot water to cover
- 4 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked for 30 minutes in warm water
- groundnut oil, for stir-frying
- 2 eggs, separated
- 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 courgettes or ½ cucumber, cut into sticks
- ½ red pepper, seeded and cut into strips
- 4 button mushrooms, sliced
- 75g / 3oz / 1½ cups beansprouts, washed and drained
- 15ml / 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- salt and ground black pepper
- sliced spring onions and sesame seeds, to garnish
Preparation
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- Put the steak in the freezer until it is firm enough to cut into thin slices and then into 5cm / 2in strips.
- Mix the ingredients for the marinade in a shallow dish (see Cook's Tip), stir in the steak strips. Drain the noodles and cook them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain again, then snip into short lengths. Drain the mushrooms, cut off and discard the stems; slice the caps.
- Prepare the garnish. Heat the oil in a small frying pan. Beat the egg yolks together and pour into the pan. When set, slide them on to a plate. Add the egg whites to the pan and cook until set. Cut both yolks and whites into diamond shapes and set aside.
- Drain the beef. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and stir-fry the beef until it changes colour. Add the carrot and onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the other vegetables, tossing them until just cooked.
- Add the noodles and season with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Spoon into a serving dish and garnish with egg, spring onions and sesame seeds.
COOK'S TIP
To make the marinade, blend together 15m1/1 tbsp sugar, 30m1/2 tbsp light soy sauce, 45m1/3 tbsp sesame oil, 4 finely chopped spring onions, 1 crushed garlic clove and 10m1/2 tsp crushed toasted sesame seeds.
Serves 4.