One of my beloved second graders is leaving... sigh!! To celebrate, second grade will have Chap Chae for snack tomorrow, in honor of B.G. as he's going home to Korea... BUT, not after one serious second grade noodle party, Korean style!
Now, Gremlin Mom cooks Asian food a lot... it's lean, full of veggies, but tonight, I'm nervous! These noodles have to impress one incredible little Korean boy, his equally brilliant Korean cousin, and my Korean tutor, along with all the incredible "truth telling" 8 year old's in my second grade class. If it bombs, they WILL let me know. OK, so... we have quite a cast of characters tonight... noodles (dang myun, sweet potato noodles, two 12 oz. packages), one medium size zucchini, 4 scallions (greens only), sesame seeds, sesame oil, canola oil, 2 cups thinly sliced carrots, 2 cups dried shitake mushrooms, 1 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup sugar, 4 cloves garlic (chopped), and 4-5 cups spinach (two 9 oz. bags baby spinach).
First, soak those mushrooms in water for at least 30 minutes. While the mushrooms plump up, get everyone else ready!
Boil your noodles in water for about 5 minutes or until al dente. Drain and run cold water over them so they don't stick while they wait for the veg and sauce to catch up.
Sideline those noodles while you get all the other Chap Chae players ready. If you rinse them well, in cold water, they shouldn't stick. That's key!
After researching chap chae a bit (don't make fun... I was nervous... my Korean tutor is talkin' all about her mother's chap chae and how much she loves it... ) I noticed a pattern... all those veggies get sauteed for a few minutes, but separately. Crisp, but not over cooked veggies is the goal. So, in medium high heat go the carrots... in 1 teaspoon canola oil for about 3 minutes. BOOM! Empty the carrots into the bowl to cozy up with those noodles!
Next, drop another teaspoon canola oil in the hot pan and add (two) thinly sliced onions. Toss it around for about 3 minutes and then add....
drained, sliced shitake mushrooms. Stir those around a bit (2 minutes). Add the thinly sliced zucchini for another minute. Last, add the garlic and toss for another minute (taking care not to burn the garlic). This part goes fast as you add and stir. Drop the onions and mushrooms in the bowl with the noodles and get ready for the finale!! Your kitchen, officially smells like "Asian noodle heaven" right now... enjoy it!
So finally, the sauce!! Measure the cup of soy sauce and 1/2 cup of sugar and add to the pan. Let the sugar dissolve, and then start adding the spinach.
Cook for about a minute while spinach wilts and the sauce cooks. Now, add the sauce and spinach to the noodles and get ready to toss!
IN GOES THE SAUCE... and suddenly those starchy sticky noodles dance with all the veggies and become one sweet, savory Korean noodle party... fit for a second grader!
Finish the noodles with 2-3 tablespoons of sesame oil and tons of sesame seeds sprinkled on top! Spectacular!!
So, we had to "taste test" our FIRST EVER chap chae noodles and they passed! Topped with some super tender pork tenderloin they were a HIT in this American house! Now, let's hope they pass the Korean tutor taste test tomorrow! Either way, we will honor our dear friend, B.G. miss him dearly, and wish him well, as he returns home to Korea.
One of my beloved second graders is leaving... sigh!! To celebrate, second grade will have Chap Chae for snack tomorrow, in honor of B.G. as he's going home to Korea... BUT, not after one serious second grade noodle party, Korean style!
Now, Gremlin Mom cooks Asian food a lot... it's lean, full of veggies, but tonight, I'm nervous! These noodles have to impress one incredible little Korean boy, his equally brilliant Korean cousin, and my Korean tutor, along with all the incredible "truth telling" 8 year old's in my second grade class. If it bombs, they WILL let me know. OK, so... we have quite a cast of characters tonight... noodles (dang myun, sweet potato noodles, two 12 oz. packages), one medium size zucchini, 4 scallions (greens only), sesame seeds, sesame oil, canola oil, 2 cups thinly sliced carrots, 2 cups dried shitake mushrooms, 1 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup sugar, 4 cloves garlic (chopped), and 4-5 cups spinach (two 9 oz. bags baby spinach).
First, soak those mushrooms in water for at least 30 minutes. While the mushrooms plump up, get everyone else ready!
Boil your noodles in water for about 5 minutes or until al dente. Drain and run cold water over them so they don't stick while they wait for the veg and sauce to catch up.
Sideline those noodles while you get all the other Chap Chae players ready. If you rinse them well, in cold water, they shouldn't stick. That's key!
After researching chap chae a bit (don't make fun... I was nervous... my Korean tutor is talkin' all about her mother's chap chae and how much she loves it... ) I noticed a pattern... all those veggies get sauteed for a few minutes, but separately. Crisp, but not over cooked veggies is the goal. So, in medium high heat go the carrots... in 1 teaspoon canola oil for about 3 minutes. BOOM! Empty the carrots into the bowl to cozy up with those noodles!
Next, drop another teaspoon canola oil in the hot pan and add (two) thinly sliced onions. Toss it around for about 3 minutes and then add....
drained, sliced shitake mushrooms. Stir those around a bit (2 minutes). Add the thinly sliced zucchini for another minute. Last, add the garlic and toss for another minute (taking care not to burn the garlic). This part goes fast as you add and stir. Drop the onions and mushrooms in the bowl with the noodles and get ready for the finale!! Your kitchen, officially smells like "Asian noodle heaven" right now... enjoy it!
So finally, the sauce!! Measure the cup of soy sauce and 1/2 cup of sugar and add to the pan. Let the sugar dissolve, and then start adding the spinach.
Cook for about a minute while spinach wilts and the sauce cooks. Now, add the sauce and spinach to the noodles and get ready to toss!
IN GOES THE SAUCE... and suddenly those starchy sticky noodles dance with all the veggies and become one sweet, savory Korean noodle party... fit for a second grader!
Finish the noodles with 2-3 tablespoons of sesame oil and tons of sesame seeds sprinkled on top! Spectacular!!
So, we had to "taste test" our FIRST EVER chap chae noodles and they passed! Topped with some super tender pork tenderloin they were a HIT in this American house! Now, let's hope they pass the Korean tutor taste test tomorrow! Either way, we will honor our dear friend, B.G. miss him dearly, and wish him well, as he returns home to Korea.
Kate, our Korean tutor deemed our chap chae: "legit"!!! Gremlin Mom scores!!!!
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