Korean-inspired vegan purple noodles

Eating the rainbow is both easy and delicious with this beautiful japchae-inspired recipe!

This recipe is a little different in that I like to just cook everything at once while japchae is traditionally a combination of individually prepared ingredients. Instead of doing that, I sort of layer the ingredients into one skillet and combine the flavors that way.

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Ingredients

• avocado oil

• 500g dried purple sweet potato noodles

• pinch of salt

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 onion, halved & sliced

• 2-3 scallions, julienned (white & green parts separated)

• 1 bell pepper, julienned

• 6 medium/large shiitake mushrooms, sliced

• 1 bunch watercress, rinsed

• 3 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp rice wine

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tsp ground white pepper

• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

• Optional: 1-2 Thai chilies, thinly sliced

Directions

1. In a large pot, boil water with a pinch of salt. When water boils, add in noodles and cook until al dente according to package instructions (approx. 7 minutes). Drain noodles, run them under cold water, drain, and set aside.

2. While waiting for the noodles to cook, heat and oil skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, and white parts of scallions. Saute until garlic slightly browns and onions soften a bit. Add peppers and mushrooms, and cook until pepper softens.

3. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, rice wine, honey, white pepper, and black pepper. Add Thai chilies into sauce mixture if using.

4. Carefully add watercress into skillet and cook until leaves begins to wilt. Stir in sweet potato noodles and sauce. Mix thoroughly, add green parts of scallions, drizzle in sesame oil, and sprinkle in sesame seeds. Combine well. Remove from heat at serve hot.