Sweet Potato Noodles Stir-Fried with Chicken and Vegetables – Japchae

I got the idea for this recipe from the Korean dish called, "Japchae”. This dish has always been a popular food for special occasions. This recipe is an excellent balance for rice-and- vegetable-based dishes. On a hot summer day, this is a good dish to serve for an outside picnic. The recipe can be cooked with meat, seafood, or just simply vegetarian. I added some ponzu sauce because I like the citrus flavor of this sauce. The ponzu sauce is sold in most grocery stores, but lemon juice and zest can be added to this dish to have the same effect.

Ingredients:

6 ounces of Korean sweet potato vermicelli (cooked following the instructions on the package)
8 ounces chicken, cut into thin strips
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 red onion, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1/2  red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch slices
5 dry shitake mushrooms (soaked in water until soft), sliced
2 cups bean sprouts
1 cup green bean, cut into 2 inches
4 scallions, green part only, cut into 3 inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and black pepper needed
2 tbs peanut oil

Garnish with roasted sesame seeds and cilantro

Sauce ingredients:
1/4 cup ponzu sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1 tbs sugar

Directions:
Add 2 tsp sesame oil into the cooked vermicelli noodles.

In a bowl, combine chicken with 1/4 cup of sauce and black pepper. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Put the peanut oil in a frying pan and add chicken (reserve the marinate sauce). Stir-fry over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.

 Turn meat over and add carrots, mushrooms, and onions and continue to stir-fry until the vegetables are wilted.

 Add garlic, red bell pepper and noodles. Add all the sauce to the marinate sauce and stir into the pan with scallions and bean sprouts. Quickly mix and continue to stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.

Season with salt, if needed. Remove from heat and serve.