Beef with Dang Myun

Dang myun is the Korean noodle made of sweet potato starch. Dang myun’s a flavor chameleon, though it has no taste of its own, it takes on the flavor of whatever sauce it’s in. It turns a beautiful crystal clear once it’s cooked. And it has a wonderful texture, both chewy and slippery, it slides right down.

Yield:

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1. ½ cup soy sauce
2. ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3. 4 cloves garlic, minced
4. 1 tablespoon minced ginger
5. Freshly ground black pepper
6. 1 ¼ pounds thinly sliced boneless beef short ribs
7. 8 ounces dang myun
8. 3 tablespoons canola oil
9. 1 yellow onion, julienned
10. 4 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
11. 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
12. 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

Directions

1. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and a generous pinch of pepper in a medium bowl. Add the beef and stir to coat. Marinate for about half an hour. Meanwhile, cook the dang myun in a large pot of boiling water for 6 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and drain again.
2. Heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the onion and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Add the beef and green onions and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the beef is just cooked through. Add the noodles and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they take on the color of the sauce and are heated through. Stir in the sesame seeds and sesame oil. Divide among individual noodle bowls and serve immediately.

Notes

When boiling dang myun noodles, don’t overcook them—keep in mind that they are still very chewy even when they are cooked through. Dang myun is available in Korean markets. Do not confuse dang myun with rice noodles or bean thread noodles.