Around the globe folks put together particular meals for the brand new 12 months to represent luck or wealth, usually drawing on traditions that date again centuries. In East Asia, for instance, the form of noodles represents a protracted life, whereas greens augur a affluent 12 months.
To kick off 2024 proper, strive each on this Shanghai-style stir-fry from our guide “Noodles,” which adapts beloved noodle dishes worldwide for American house cooks. Sometimes, the noodles on this dish, referred to as cu chao mian, are thick, chewy and wheaty, and so they give the merely seasoned stir-fry a lot of its enchantment. Japanese udon is analogous in look and texture, and because it’s simpler to seek out in dried type in supermarkets, it’s what we name for in our model of the dish.
For the greens, we like bok choy — its extra tender leaves and crispier bases are like two greens in a single. Ensure that to scrub and dry the bok choy earlier than cooking to take away the grit that always collects between the leaves. First lower the bok choy lengthwise into quarters, then dunk the items in a bowl of water and swish round. Carry out the bok choy and pat dry with paper towels.
We spherical out the dish with slices of succulent pork loin, which is briefly marinated in soy sauce, Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry), sugar and cornstarch. However there’s nearly no sauce to talk of on this stir-fry — the noodles soak up the flavorings and in doing so tackle a brownish hue.
We admit to dishonest a little bit by including oyster sauce — not a typical ingredient in Shanghai fried noodles — because it brings some sweetness together with a great deal of umami. The balsamic vinegar might also seem to be an odd ingredient, however it’s an amazing stand-in for malty, subtly candy Chinese language black vinegar that’s created from rice. The vinegar’s acidity properly balances the deep, savory notes within the dish.
Begin to end: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Components:
2 teaspoons plus ¼ cup soy sauce, divided
2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
6- to 8-ounce boneless pork loin chop, sliced crosswise in ⅛-inch slices
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or Chinese language black vinegar
Floor white pepper
10 ounces dried udon noodles
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons grapeseed or different impartial oil
8 ounces child bok choy, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
Instructions:
In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the two teaspoons soy sauce, the wine (or sherry), sugar and cornstarch. Add the pork and toss to coat; put aside. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ¼ cup soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar and ½ teaspoon white pepper; put aside.
In a big pot, deliver 4 quarts water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook dinner, stirring often, till simply shy of tender. Drain in a colander and rinse below chilly water, tossing effectively, till cool to the contact. Drain once more, shaking the colander to take away as a lot water as attainable. Drizzle with the sesame oil and toss to coat; put aside.
In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, warmth the impartial oil till shimmering. Add the pork in a fair layer and cook dinner, stirring often, till evenly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Utilizing a slotted spoon, switch the pork to a plate.
To the now-empty skillet, add the bok choy; cook dinner, stirring usually, till the leaves are wilted and the stems are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the noodles and soy combination. Prepare dinner, stirring usually, till the noodles have absorbed many of the liquid, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pork and any accrued juices. Prepare dinner, tossing, till the noodles are dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Off warmth, style and season with white pepper.
Get extra recipes and dinner concepts from The Washington Instances meals part.
