Slurp-worthy noodles with a little crunch and a tangy spicy side salad.

Pork and Mung Bean Stir Fry with Buchu Salad

Serves 3

This recipe is an adaptation of two recipes by Jamesyworld an amazing digital creator. His original recipes can be found on his Instagram account highlights under “pork belly” and “oxtail”.

The noodles are rich and silky from the pork fat with the crunch of mung beans and the umami hit of oyster sauce. The squash and carrots help bulk out the noodle topping and make the dish complete. The buchu salad is tangy and fresh with a little spice making a perfect foil for the noodles.

Ingredients

Stir Fry Sauce

3 T soy sauce

1.5 T oyster sauce

2.5 t rice vinegar

2 t honey or maesil

1.5 t sesame oil

1.5 t fish sauce

0.75 t ground Sichuan peppercorn

0.50 t ground black pepper

0.25 t kosher salt

Pinch of MSG – optional

Buchu Salad

1 T honey or maesil

4 t rice vinegar

4 t soy sauce

2 t gochugaru

1.5 t mirin

1.5 t sesame oil

0.25 t ground black pepper

0.25 t kosher salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

227g (0.50 lb) buchu or Asian chives, cut into 1.5 in lengths

Stir Fry

1 lb pork belly, cut into 0.25 in thick bite sized pieces

50g (4) scallions, sliced

10g (2 t) ginger, minced

8 garlic cloves, minced

2 - 3 cheongyang or serrano chilis, minced

200g (about 0.50 lb) zucchini or Korean squash cut into 0.25 in slices

200g (1 medium) onion, sliced 0.25 in thick with the grain

120g (about 0.25 lb) carrot, thinly sliced

300g (1 medium package) mung bean sprouts, picked through and rinsed

3 portions of fresh wheat noodles

Recipe Know-how

1.      In a small bowl, combine the stir fry sauce ingredients mixing well. Set aside

2.      In a medium mixing bowl add all of the salad ingredients except the buchu and mix well. Set aside

3.      Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

4.      Put the pork belly into an unheated large saute pan.

• Place the pan over low heat. Cook 3 - 5 minutes or until the fat begins to render from the meat.

• Increase heat to medium and brown the pork belly slices well on both sides, 4 - 5 minutes longer.

• Pour off all but 2.5 T of the pork fat.

• Add the scallions, ginger, garlic and chilis. Saute 30 seconds.

• Increase heat to medium-high and add the stir fry sauce, zucchini, onions and carrots.

• Cook 3 - 5 minutes tossing occasionally until the onions are beginning to wilt and the zucchini is almost cooked through.

Finish the buchu salad

5.      Add the buchu to the pre-made dressing and toss well.

• Refrigerate until needed.

6.      Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.

• Drain well and divide between serving bowls.

7.      Add the mung beans to the saute pan and cook 2 - 3 minutes or until they have just begun to wilt.

• Divide the stir fry evenly over the noodles in the serving bowls.

8.      Serve with buchu salad and danmuji or other pickle.