Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes. Once soft, squeeze out excess water, remove stems, and thinly slice the caps. Blanch the fresh spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds, then immediately transfer to ice water. Squeeze out all excess water. In a bowl, season the spinach with a pinch of soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil, and half of the minced garlic.
Cook the Korean glass noodles according to package directions (usually boiling for 5-7 minutes). Drain well and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking. Using kitchen scissors, cut the noodles into shorter, manageable lengths (about 15 cm or 6 inches).
Slice the carrot, onion, and bell pepper into thin strips. Mince the remaining garlic. In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, the remaining sesame oil, sugar, mirin, and black pepper to create the sauce.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. First, sauté the sliced onions until slightly softened (about 2 minutes). Add the sliced carrots and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Next, add the bell peppers and rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, stir-frying for another 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Remove all cooked vegetables from the pan and set aside.
Add the cooked glass noodles to the same pan (no need to clean). Pour the prepared sauce over the noodles and stir-fry vigorously over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, using tongs to ensure the noodles are evenly coated and absorb the flavor.
Return all the stir-fried vegetables and seasoned spinach to the pan with the noodles. Mix everything together thoroughly until well combined and heated through. Stir in the toasted sesame seeds. Serve the Japchae warm or at room temperature.
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