Oof. Here’s a controversial question for an Asian American to ask:
Do you like noodles or rice better?
My answer?
Noodles. Always noodles. 100% of the time.
I love noodles so much. Beef noodle soup. Dan dan noodles. Dan zai noodles. Pho. Bolognese. Spaghetti. Naengmyeon. All of it.
So in order to maximize my noodle intake, I’ve developed a new weeknight noodle that hits all the spots in just 20 minutes or less. It’s spicy, porky, and cooks in the time it takes to boil the noodles.
Ingredients
ground pork
ginger
garlic
chile paste (doubanjiang)
cornstarch
water
noodles
Start by boiling the water. If you’re in a hurry, boil the water in a tea kettle. It’s so much faster and you can just pour the boiling water into the pot when it’s ready. I know I put 20 minutes in the title, but with a tea kettle, these noodles can easily be done in 15. Mix a small teaspoon of cornstarch into some water to create a slurry and set aside.
Saute some finely chopped ginger (about 1 inch) and garlic (2-3 cloves) in a little bit of oil. The pork releases a good amount of oil so no need to put too much initially. Once the ginger and garlic are soft, but not browned, put in the ground pork. For two people, 1/4-1/2 lb is usually enough. These noodles are not meant to be covered in pork, just enough for flavor.
Once the pork is browned off, put in a tablespoon of the chile paste. I like doubanjiang but you honestly could go with any type of chile paste. Sambal oelek, harissa paste, black bean paste. Any type of funky, salty, spicy chile paste would work here. Mix the paste in with the pork until it’s cooked off for a minute or two. Fill it up with 1/2 (?) cup of water and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
Pour in your cornstarch slurry - the amount of liquid you put in will depend on how saucey you want the sauce. For example, I love super saucey noodles but my husband likes drier noodles. Therefore, we compromise and land in the middle. :) Noodles go in and mix it all up! Top with chopped scallions or cilantro.
Happy cooking!