Japanese Style Noodles Vs. Korean Style Noodles

Japanese Style Noodles (Yaki Udon)

Yaki Udon Noodle Sauce:

1. In a small bowl, add all the ingredients and mix until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Yaki Udon Stir Fry:

1. Heat a large wok over medium-high and add 3 Tbsp (45ml) of oil, swirling to coat the pan.
2. Increase the heat to high and once the oil is hot and just smoking, add the pork. Season with salt to taste and sear for 2-3 minutes or until browned and crispy. Stir the meat and sear for another 1-2 minutes or until cooked through and crispy. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add the remaining 3 Tbsp (45ml) of oil to the wok and heat over medium-high. 
4. Add the mushrooms and sear for 3 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Season with salt, to taste. 
5. Add the onion, season with salt and then add in the green onion. Stir fry for about 2 minutes or until tender. 
6. Add the cabbage and stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until the cabbage is wilted.
7. Stir in the seared pork, along with the cooked udon noodles, white pepper, bonito flakes and all of the sauce until combined. Stir fry for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens and everything is evenly coated.
8. Turn off the heat and stir in the garlic. 
9. Add to a serving bowl and garnish with the thinly sliced green onions.

Korean Style Noodles (Japchae)

Sauce:

1. In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Set aside until ready to use. 

Japchae:

1. Fill a large wok halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat. 
2. Add the noodles and cook for 6-8 minutes or until just cooked through but still chewy. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
3. Heat the wok over medium-high and add 3 tablespoons (45ml) of oil. 
4. Once hot and smoking, add the carrot and onion and stir fry for about 3 minutes or until just translucent and mostly cooked through but still with a slight crunch. 
5. Add the mushrooms and season with salt, to taste. Stir for for 2 minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked through.
6. Transfer the vegetables from the wok into a bowl and set aside.
7. Into the wok, add the spinach and cook over medium, tossing occasionally until wilted. Season with salt, to taste. Then transfer the spinach from the wok into a bowl. Set aside.
8. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons (45ml) of oil into the wok and heat over medium-high until smoking hot.
9. Add the ribeye, season with salt, and sear for 1 minute until browned. Flip and sear on the other side. Stir fry for 1 minute then add the carrots, onion and mushrooms. Stir fry for one more minute. 
10. Add the sauce incrementally, to taste, and stir to combine, adding more sauce, if needed.
11. To make the jidan: Drizzle oil in a small nonstick skillet and heat over medium. Add in the egg white and fully cook for 1-2 minutes without any browning. Season with salt and carefully remove onto a cutting board. Next, beat the egg yolk and cook in the lightly-oiled nonstick skillet the same way you cooked the whites. Transfer the cooked yolk to the cutting board. Julienne the cooked egg white and yolk.
12. To assemble, add the cooked noodles to a serving bowl, followed by the beef stir fry, a serving of spinach, the jidan and a generous drizzle of the sauce.