Spicy Ginger Pork Noodles With Bok Choy

- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 12ounces baby bok choy (3 or 4 small heads)
- 1ounce ginger root (1 fat 2-inch-thick knob)
- Kosher salt
- 8ounces rice noodles, not too thin
- 2tablespoons peanut or safflower oil
- 1pound lean ground pork
- ¼cup plus 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 2tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- ½cup thinly sliced scallions
- 3garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1fresh Thai or habanero chile, seeded if desired, thinly sliced
- 2tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1½teaspoons sesame oil, more for drizzling
- Cilantro or torn basil, for serving
- Black vinegar, for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
Trim bok choy and separate dark green tops from white stems; leave tops whole and thinly slice stems. Peel ginger and finely chop half of it. Slice remaining ginger into thin matchsticks.
- Step 2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain and run under cool water; drain again.
- Step 3
Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook, breaking up with a fork, until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, 1½ tablespoons soy sauce and ½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar. Use a slotted spoon to transfer meat to a bowl.
- Step 4
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Stir in half the scallions, the finely chopped ginger, the garlic and the chile. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add bok choy stems and a pinch of salt. Cook until bok choy is almost tender, about 2 minutes. Toss in leaves and return pork to skillet.
- Step 5
Toss noodles, remaining ¼ cup soy sauce and 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar into the pan. Cook until just warmed through.
- Step 6
Transfer to a large bowl and toss with remaining scallions, sesame seeds, sesame oil and herbs. In a small bowl, combine ginger matchsticks with just enough black vinegar to cover. Serve ginger mixture alongside noodles as a garnish.
Private Notes
Comments
1. Cook the pork very well, to the point of crispy browned bits. The crunch you create is delicious in the final dish.
2. Definitely can add extra baby bok choy if you have it on hand.
3. Depending on the brand of rice noodles you purchase, soaking them in hot water for 20 min or so will make them perfectly al dente and ready to add at the end.
4. Don't be afraid of the habanero chile, it adds a nice heat to the background, but it is not overwhelming.
5. If you have a wok, use it.
Increase bok choy by 2x. Increase ginger by 2x. Increase ginger matchsticks by 3x. Increase scallions by 1.5-2x. Meat & noodles OK. As is, this is a meaty dish, I prefer more vegetables + more piquancy. Delightful dish!
I think my husband would eat this every night. I've been making it since it appeared and it's always his #1 request. For those of you who've skipped the ginger sticks; you should try as I think it really adds to the dish. I always serve with lime wedges too.
try garlic chili paste instead of the peppers, it would bring more umami.
using black vinegar (aka chinkiang or zhenjiang vinegar, if you're looking for it at your local international market) rather than rice vinegar for the ginger garnish is absolutely clutch here. i've started setting extra ginger aside every time i cook with it so i can make more of the garnish. it just brings out that citrusy zing that brightens everything up, especially for a stir/pan-fried recipe or anything a little oily/greasy. the habanero is also gorgeous here, as it has a kind of fruitiness that i really enjoy, but it is rather hot for me. if i'm more heat-shy i'll make this with a jalapeño or even just crushed red pepper if i don't have a good fresh pepper available. this is on permanent rotation in my household. i'm not sure my husband is 100% as crazy about it as i am, but that's a personal problem he can work on :)
Delicious and easy to riff on -- I didn't have bok choy so I subbed broccoli and celery, cut into small florets/slices -- used more garlic and ginger than specified, to good effect -- added some crushed peanuts along with the sesame seeds. All good adds! Do not skip the ginger matchsticks in vinegar; they add a delicious hint of sweetness and bite!
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