Typical japchae is made with glass noodles — gluten-free dried noodles made of sweet potato. I have yet to find those with a hechsher, so I subbed rice noodles instead (and you can use your favorite noodle). This dish is a cross between a
stir-fry and a pasta salad, and it’s good served warm or cold. You can easily add ground beef to make this a one-pot meal.

Serves 8

•  oil, for sautéing
• 1 large onion, sliced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1 large zucchini, sliced into half-moons
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 16 oz (450 g) mushrooms, sliced
• 5 oz (140 g) spinach
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 eggs
• 1 8.8-oz (250-g) pkg rice noodles
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Heat 1 tsp oil in a large frying pan. Sauté the onion for 7 minutes, until translucent. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add 1 tsp oil and sauté the pepper for 5 minutes, until it begins to soften. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add 1 tsp oil to the pan and sauté the zucchini for 10 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove once softened and beginning to lightly brown. Set aside.

Add 1 tsp oil and sauté the carrot for 3–5 minutes, until it begins to soften. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add more oil if needed and sauté mushrooms, lightly seasoned, for 15 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated and they’re cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add 1 tsp oil to the pan and sauté the spinach and garlic for 3 minutes, until wilted. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Scramble the eggs and spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray. Cook the egg as a thin, flat omelet until it’s fully cooked on both sides. Remove from the pan and roll it up, then slice thinly.

Cover the rice noodles with boiling water and allow it to sit for 7 minutes, until al dente. Drain. Combine soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil and dress the noodles. Toss the noodles with the vegetables. Garnish with sesame seeds and thinly sliced egg.