Vietnamese Stir-Fried Egg Noodles with Pork

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Springy egg noodles get par-boiled, rinsed and dried until they squeak, then hit a screaming-hot pan so they actually fry — crisp-edged strands instead of a steamy tangle. Thin-sliced pork shoulder, garlic, and a soy-oyster-sesame sauce pull it all together in one pan in under 10 minutes of cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless pork shoulder, sliced 1/8-inch thick against the grain
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (or 1 extra tbsp regular soy)
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp water or unsalted chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground white or black pepper

• 14 oz fresh thin Chinese-style egg noodles (or 10 oz dried chow mein noodles)
• 4 tbsp neutral oil, such as canola or peanut
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into thin wedges
• 1 medium carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
• 4 oz snow peas, strings removed
• 4 cups napa cabbage, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 4 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths

• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• to taste chili-garlic sauce or sliced Thai chiles

Instructions

1. Toss the sliced pork with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp fish sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Massage until the cornstarch disappears and set aside at room temperature for 20 minutes while you prep everything else.
2. Whisk all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl — oyster sauce, both soy sauces, fish sauce, sesame oil, sugar, water, and pepper. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Set within arm's reach of the stove.
3. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add the noodles and par-boil just until they loosen and bend but still have a firm core: 45 to 60 seconds for fresh noodles, 3 to 4 minutes for dried (about 1 minute shy of the package time). Drain immediately.
4. Rinse the noodles under cold running water for 30 seconds, tossing with your hands to wash off surface starch, then shake the colander hard. Spread the noodles on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a clean kitchen towel, toss with 1 tbsp of the neutral oil, and let them air-dry for at least 15 minutes. This is the whole trick: dry noodles fry, wet noodles steam. Blot any beads of water with paper towels before cooking.
5. Heat a 14-inch carbon steel wok or your largest heavy skillet over high heat until a drop of water vaporizes on contact, about 2 minutes. Add 1 tbsp neutral oil, swirl, and spread the pork in a single layer. Sear undisturbed for 90 seconds, then stir-fry 60 to 90 seconds more until just cooked through and lightly browned at the edges. Transfer to a plate.
6. Add 1 tbsp oil to the pan, still on high. Add the onion and carrot and stir-fry 90 seconds, then the snow peas and napa cabbage and stir-fry 2 minutes more, until the cabbage is wilted but the stems still snap. Push everything onto the plate with the pork.
7. Add the last 1 tbsp oil, lower the heat to medium-high, and add the garlic and ginger. Stir for 20 seconds until fragrant but not browned, then add the dried noodles. Spread them out and let them sit undisturbed for 2 minutes so the bottom layer crisps and picks up color, then flip in sections and fry 2 minutes more. You want scattered browned, chewy strands throughout.
8. Return the pork and vegetables to the pan, pour the sauce around the edge (not directly into the center), and raise the heat to high. Toss with tongs for 60 to 90 seconds until every strand is glossy and evenly brown and no liquid pools in the bottom of the pan. Add the scallions and toss 15 seconds more.
9. Taste and adjust: a splash more fish sauce for salt, a pinch of sugar for balance. Pile onto a platter, scatter with cilantro, and serve immediately with lime wedges and chili-garlic sauce at the table.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem