Sichuan Pork Noodles
A popular Sichuan way of preparing pork mince sees it fried with seasonings and combined with pickled vegetables to add a delicious kick of sourness.
Ingredients
500g packet Lian Huat egg noodles
1 packet mung bean sprouts
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 spring onion, white part finely chopped and green part sliced into rounds
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and very finely chopped
400g free-range pork mince
½ tsp Szechuan Pepper ground
½-1 tsp red chilli flakes (optional)
1 heaped tsp Maeil Doenjang Soybean or Miso Paste
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
2 tsp Hua Tiao Salted Cooking wine
¼ cup Sauerkraut, chopped
1 packet slender stem broccoli
½ Lebanese cucumber, cut into matchsticks
¼ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
Method
Bring a medium pot of water to the boil, add 1 tsp salt then the noodles. Cook at a boil for 3-4 mins then drain
Put bean sprouts in a bowl, cover with boiling water and place a plate over the top of the bowl. Set aside for 5 mins to blanch the bean sprouts, then drain water off and stir through 2 tsp sesame oil. Steam broccoli till just tender then drain
In a large heavy frypan, heat oil and add spring onion, garlic and ginger. Fry for 2 mins until fragrant and garlic starting to turn golden
Add pork mince, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Turn heat to quite high and fry, stirring now and then, for 7-8 mins until pork has browned. Add Sichuan pepper and stir in, add soybean paste and soy sauce and stir in. Add vinegar and cooking wine and stir-fry vigorously for around 5 mins, using the wooden spoon to pick up bits that start to catch on the pan and crispen. Once all residual liquid has cooked off the mixture and it’s starting to crispen at edges, take off heat and stir through sauerkraut
Distribute noodles into bowls, top with a scoop of pork mince, a generous pinch of bean sprouts and cucumber sticks, and a few broccoli stems. Scatter over peanuts and drizzle with a little sesame oil. Serve hot
Cook's note: Here we’ve kept the heat factor minimal to keep it family-friendly, but by all means add more Sichuan pepper and red chilli flakes if that’s how you like it!