Name: Crispy pork noodles with chilli greens
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients: 1 tbsp groundnut or vegetable oil; 150g pork mince; 200g gai lan, choi sum or pak choi, any thick stems halved lengthways; 2 nests fine egg noodles; 2 tsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tsp (or less if you don’t like it too spicy) dried chilli flakes; 4 (optional) sichuan peppercorns; 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 4 spring onions, sliced; thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp mirin; 1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp groundnut or vegetable oil
150g pork mince
200g gai lan, choi sum or pak choi
any thick stems halved lengthways
2 nests fine egg noodles
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp (or less if you don’t like it too spicy) dried chilli flakes
4 (optional) sichuan peppercorns
3 cloves garlic
finely chopped
4 spring onions
sliced
thumb-sized piece ginger
peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp rice vinegar

Method

step 1
Heat the oil in a wok or deep frying pan, and fry the pork for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking it up with a spatula until golden brown and crispy.
step 2
Meanwhile, blanch the greens in a pan of simmering water for 4-6 minutes, or until the stems are tender, then drain well. In another pan, cook the noodles for 2-3 minutes, or until tender, then drain and rinse under cold water.
step 3
Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and toss in the blanched greens for a few minutes until starting to turn golden at the edges. Add the chilli flakes, Sichuan peppercorns (if using) and half the garlic, and toss for 30 seconds-1 minute, or until they start to smell aromatic. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
step 4
Add the spring onions, remaining garlic and ginger to the pork and fry for 1 minute, then add the soy, mirin and rice vinegar, and bubble for 1 minute.
step 5
Tip the noodles into the pork mixture, and toss everything well until the noodles have heated through. Serve in bowls with the chilli greens alongside.