Vegan Gochujang Glass Noodles
4
servings15
minutes20
minutes35
minutesIngredients
- For the noodles & vegetables
8 oz (225 g) Korean sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon)
14 oz (400 g) extra-firm tofu
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp neutral oil, divided
8 -10 brown or shitake mushrooms, halved
1 medium carrot, julienned
1 red or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups thinly sliced green or napa cabbage
½ medium onion, thinly sliced
3 scallions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- For the gochujang sauce
3 tbsp gochujang
3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 ½ tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp water
1 tsp grated garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
1 –2 tsp gochugaru, optional for extra heat , or any chili powder
- To finish
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Handful of chopped cilantro
Sliced scallions
Extra sesame oil, optional
Directions
- Prepare the tofu, and mushrooms
- Press the tofu well, then tear it into rough bite-size chunks. Tearing rather than neatly cubing it creates craggy edges that brown particularly well.
- Toss with the cornstarch and a small pinch of salt.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook for 7–9 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and crisp around the edges.
- Transfer to a plate.
- In the same pan, add the halved mushrooms and sauté for 3-5 minutes until slightly brown.
- Once they are cooked, add a pinch of salt and mix.
- Transfer to a place.
- Mix the gochujang sauce
- Whisk together the gochujang, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, water, garlic, ginger and optional gochugaru.
- Taste and adjust. You want a balance of spicy, savory, slightly sweet and tangy.
- Cook the glass noodles
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Cook the sweet potato noodles according to the package directions, usually about 6–8 minutes, until chewy but tender.
- Drain and rinse briefly under cool water.
- Use kitchen scissors to make a few cuts through the noodles. Dangmyeon can be extremely long, and shortening them makes the finished dish much easier to toss and eat.
- Stir-fry the vegetables
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in your skillet or wok over high heat.
- Add the onion and carrot and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
- Add the bell pepper and cabbage and cook for another 2–3 minutes. You want the vegetables tender-crisp rather than completely soft.
- Add the scallions, garlic and ginger and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Bring everything together
- Add the cooked noodles, browned tofu, and mushrooms to the pan.
- Pour the gochujang sauce over everything.
- Using tongs, toss continuously over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes, until the noodles have absorbed much of the sauce and become glossy.
- If they get too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. The finished noodles should be slick and saucy, not soupy.
- Finish and serve
- Take the pan off the heat and toss with sesame seeds. Taste and add a little more soy sauce, rice vinegar or sesame oil if needed. Pile into bowls and finish with cilantro, scallions, and additional sesame seeds.
