Recipe: Fried Egg Noodles with Pork (and how to make Noodle Cakes)

FRIED EGG NOODLES WITH PORK
"The crispy fried noodles and crunchy vegetables contrast perfectly with the moist, tender meat."


3/4 pound lean boneless pork, diced
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice water
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon each salt, sugar, and freshly ground pepper, all mixed together
4 drained tree or wood ear mushrooms, reconstituted in water
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 carrot
1 bunch scallions
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup beans sprouts
1/4 pound peeled shrimp
4 to 6 tablespoons chicken stock
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Noodle Cakes (for serving, recipe follows)

Put the pork in a bowl. Mix together the dark soy sauce, rice wine, cornstarch, and seasoning mixture and add to the pork. Cover and let marinate about 1 hour.

Cut the drained mushrooms, bell peppers, and carrot in thin strips. Slice the scallions. Peel and mince the garlic.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a wok and stir-fry the garlic briefly. Add the pork with its marinade and stir-fry over high heat until browned; remove from the wok and keep warm.

Put the vegetables, bean sprouts, and shrimp in the wok and mix in the stock, light soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Taste and add salt if necessary. Spoon onto the Noodles Cakes.

NOODLE CAKES



1/2 pound dried thin egg noodles
About 1/2 cup peanut oil

Cook the noodles in boiling salted water until al dente and drain well. Spread out the noodles in a dish lined with paper towels and let dry completely.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Divide the noodles in 4 portions and add one portion to the oil. Fry until golden brown and crisp, then carefully turn the noodle cake and fry until the other side is lightly browned. Keep warm.

Source: The Pasta Bible by Christian Teubner, Silvio Rizzi and Tan Lee Leng