NOODLES, ZO JAN NOODLES
Mildly seasoned, with a jumble of Japanese flavors from miso to sake, these noodles with a savory pork sauce are easy to prepare for a weekniqht supper, especially if your pantry is stocked with Japanese ingredients, which I hope it will be from now on.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound (225 g) ground pork
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup julienned bamboo shoots
• 1 1/2 cups SHANTON BROTH or Chicken Stock
• 1/4 cup red miso
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 12 ounces (350 g) dried thin noodles, such as ramen or lo mein
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned
• 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• Sprigs of baby cilantro
Directions
1. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add the ground pork and cook, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon, until the liquid evaporates, about 6 minutes. Stir in the bamboo shoots.
2. Mix the Shanton Broth, red miso, soy sauce, sugar, and sake in a bowl to dissolve the miso and sugar. Stir into the skillet and bring to a boil. Add the dissolved cornstarch and cook until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Cover the sauce to keep it warm while you cook the noodles.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook until tender, about 4 minutes, or according to the package instructions. Drain and divide among 4 bowls.
4. Spoon the sauce over the noodles and top with the cucumber, chopped egg, scallions, and baby cilantro. Serve immediately.
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