Japchae

Toss 150g thinly sliced beef sirloin with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 minced garlic clove, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil in a small bowl. Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to absorb flavors while prepping remaining ingredients.

Bring 2 liters of water to a rolling boil over high heat, then add ¾ tsp fine table salt. Add 200g dangmyeon noodles, cook for 7 minutes until chewy-tender with no hard white core, then drain and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds. Toss drained noodles with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil to prevent sticking. In the same boiling salted water, blanch 100g fresh spinach for 30 seconds, drain, squeeze out all excess water, and cut into 5cm lengths.

Heat 1 tsp neutral canola oil in a large carbon steel wok or non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour in the 2 beaten eggs, swirl to form a thin 3mm omelet, cook for 1 minute per side until fully set with no browned edges, then slide onto a cutting board, cool for 2 minutes, and cut into thin 5cm-long strips. In the same pan, add 2 tsp more canola oil, stir-fry julienned carrot, sliced onion, shiitake mushrooms, and red bell pepper over medium-high heat for 3 minutes until crisp-tender, season with ¼ tsp fine table salt, then transfer all cooked vegetables to a large wide mixing bowl.

Add the remaining 1 tbsp (3 tsp) neutral canola oil to the same wok over high heat. Add the marinated beef slices, spread in a single even layer, and sear for 2 minutes total, flipping once halfway through cooking, until just cooked through with light golden, slightly caramelized edges. Do not overcook the beef to keep it tender, then transfer the cooked beef to the mixing bowl with the stir-fried vegetables.

Make the seasoning sauce by mixing the remaining 5 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp light brown sugar, remaining 3 minced garlic cloves, and remaining 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp toasted sesame oil in a small bowl, stirring until sugar fully dissolves. Add the cooked noodles, blanched spinach, and prepared sauce to the large mixing bowl with beef and vegetables. Wearing food-safe gloves, toss all ingredients gently for 2 minutes until every noodle is evenly coated in sauce and ingredients are well distributed.

Return the fully tossed noodle mixture to the wok over low heat, toss gently for 2 minutes to warm all components evenly. Turn off the heat, top with the reserved thin egg strips and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, and give one final light toss. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled according to preference.