Spicy Sichuan Pork Noodles
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How do you get a takeout fix at record speed? With this 20-minute recipe for spicy Sichuan pork noodles, from Nagi Maehashi’s new cookbook, RecipeTin Eats Dinner, of course. She’s turned the famous Sichuan stir-fried pork with green beans combo into a tasty noodle dish that’s ideal for weeknight dinners.
“The simple three-ingredient sauce here is one of my little secrets,” Maehashi writes. “It’s got it all—great savory flavor, some balancing sweetness and you can make it as spicy as you want. The trick is to get your green beans nicely blistered in the pan and a good bit of caramelization on your noodles. That’s what makes this dish taste like it came straight from a restaurant wok!”
One key ingredient in the sauce is kecap manis, a sweet soy sauce that’s a staple in Indonesian cooking. You can find it in Asian markets or online.
Excerpted from RecipeTin Eats Dinner: 150 Recipes for Fast Everyday Meals by Nagi Maehashi Copyright © 2023. Used with permission of the publisher, Countryman Press. All rights reserved.
Ingredients
Sauce
1½ tablespoons oyster sauce
1½ tablespoons kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
4 teaspoons sambal oelek (see notes)
Noodles
9 ounces fresh or 6 ounces dried lo mein noodles (see notes)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 cups (7 ounces) green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half
½ yellow onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 teaspoons finely minced ginger (optional)
7 ounces ground pork
Directions
1. Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the oyster sauce, kecap manis and sambal oelek until combined.
2. Make the Noodles: Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain, then rinse briefly under tap water. Leave in the colander until ready to use.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat until it is almost smoking. Add the green beans, spreading them out in a single layer. Leave to cook for 2 minutes, stirring only every 30 seconds, until lightly charred and just cooked through. Transfer the beans to a bowl and set aside.
4. Cool the skillet for 15 seconds, then place it back over high heat. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, then cook the onion, garlic and ginger (if using) for 30 seconds. Add the ground pork and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it mostly changes from pink to white, about 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon of the sauce and continue cooking the pork for another 1 minute until it is nicely browned.
5. Add the noodles, green beans and remaining sauce. Toss for 2 minutes with two wooden spoons, ensuring that the noodles get some nice caramelization. Divide between two bowls to serve.
Notes
You can reduce the sambal oelek to 1 teaspoon for barely-there spicy, or increase to
6 teaspoons for very spicy.
This recipe will work with any medium thickness or thin noodles, dried or fresh. You can also use two instant noodle or ramen packages, discarding the seasoning packages.
Green beans can be substituted with asparagus or broccolini, cut vertically into green bean–sized sticks.
Pork works best here, but you can also use ground beef, chicken or turkey.
A cast iron or other heavy-bottom skillet is best here so you can get a nice char on the beans and caramelize the noodles. Do not use a nonstick skillet. High-heat cooking like this will ruin the nonstick coating.
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
735 calories
37g fat
75g carbs
29g protein
6g sugars
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Note: The information shown is Edamam's estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.