Vegan Korean Glass Noodles Stir Fry - A spicy sweet and savory dish, brimming with delicate noodles made of sweet potatoes, meaty jackfruit, earthy shiitakes, sweet bell peppers and bok choy in the most delicious stir fry sauce.
Combine all of the stir fry sauce ingredients and set aside until needed.
Drain and rinse the jackfruit discarding any tough pieces. When squeezed with your fingers the jackfruit should easily shred and resemble pulled meat. If this isn’t the case you might want to boil it for 5 to 10 minutes until softened. This will usually depend on the brand and that particular batch.
Cook the glass noodles in a big pot of boiling water for six minutes until al dente. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water immediately to stop the cooking process and keep the noodles from sticking to each other. It’s important not to overcook them.
Meanwhile preheat a large skillet over medium low heat and saute the mushrooms in a drizzle of oil or a splash of the sauce for a few minutes until they start to get a little color. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
Add the carrot and bell pepper and stir fry a couple pf minutes until they begin to soften to your liking. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms.
Add the bok choy leaves to the pan and a drizzle of the sauce if needed and cook until the bok choy is wilted but still al dente then transfer to the bowl with the rest of the veggies. (Alternatively you could blanch the bok choy for 2 minutes before adding it to the stir fry).
Add the jackfruit pieces to the skillet and stir fry with another drizzle of the sauce until coated all over and gets a little color.
Pour in the remaining sauce and bring to a simmer.
Add the cooked glass noodles (make sure to drain the noodles well first) and all the vegetables then toss everything to coat well. Cook another minute or so until the noodles start to soak up some of that sauce. Remove from heat and add the scallions.
Serve hot garnished with the cilantro, extra chili flakes and sesame seeds.
Notes
Tips and Variations
Storage - Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I do not suggest freezing glass noodle stir fry.
Reheating - Reheat using the microwave. Cover with a damp paper towel to ensure the noodles don’t dry out too much or add a little splash of veggie stock..
Where to buy glass noodles? - Your best bet is your local Asian market. They’re popularly sold in these types of stores. There’s usually an Asian foods section in most grocery stores these days as well. You might find them there as well. If neither are an option for you, Amazon has your back.
Glass noodles substitute - There’s really no great substitute for glass noodles since they’re so unique. However, you can always try kelp noodles, thin rice noodles, soba, angel hair pasta, or vermicelli but it's just not the same thing.
About the jackfruit - Depending on the brand and the batch of jackfruit, you may have to simmer the jackfruit pieces first to make sure they suit your preferences as far as softness goes.
Don’t overcook the noodles - It’s important you don’t overcook the glass noodles. Their texture just doesn’t turn out very pleasant when you do, so 6 minutes total.