Wolgwa-chae (Korean: 월과채; Hanja: 越瓜菜) is a variety of japchae (stir-fried vegetable dish) made with Oriental pickling melon, called wolgwa in Korean.[1] This summer dish was a part of the Korean royal court cuisine.[2]
In modern South Korea, aehobak has largely replaced Oriental pickling melon for making the dish, due to the latter vegetable's rarity.[1] Sometimes, cucumber or eggplant are used instead.[2] Other common ingredients include beef, shiitake or oyster mushrooms, and chapssal-bukkumi (pan-fried glutinous rice cake). When wolgwa-chae is served in school meals, beef is often replaced with pork and bukkumi with tteokmyeon (rice cake noodles).[2]
To make the dish, the melon or replacement vegetable is seeded, thinly sliced, lightly salted, and squeeze-drained to remove moisture.[3] Beef, mushrooms, and other vegetables are julienned, and each of the ingredients is separately seasoned and stir-fried.[3] Aromatics such as scallions and garlic may be added when stir-frying the ingredients.[3] Thin bukkumi, made with glutinous rice flour into circles around 4–5 cm (1.6–2.0 in) in diameter, may be used either whole or julienned.[1] Stir-fried ingredients are mixed together with sesame oil, ground black pepper, and crushed toasted sesame seeds.[3] When served, the dish may be topped with crushed pine nuts, chili threads, and egg garnish.[1][3]