Dinner Tonight: Minced Pork with Soba Noodles Recipe

Updated August 09, 2018

I was confused. The ingredient list was short and concise, and yet I was detecting all these other flavors that I couldn't place. It wasn't spicy or sweet—the taste was more complex and haunting, almost like a smoky aroma. It was addicting to say the least, but where did it come from?

I realize the secret to this recipe from the food blog Appetite for China is high heat. Each ingredient is cooked over extreme heat, lending it a crisp texture, and then cooked briefly with sake and soy sauce.

Make sure to have a fan going, and keep an eye on your smoke detector. Oddly, this doesn't taste like some fanciful dish—it's more like comfort food. You can use just about any kind of Asian noodle you'd like. I had some soba lying around but ramen would work too.

Recipe Details

Dinner Tonight: Minced Pork with Soba Noodles Recipe

Prep 5 mins

Cook 20 mins

Total 25 mins

Serves 2 servings

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 pound ground pork
10 shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps finely chopped
3 medium shallots, diced
3 tablespoons sake
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 stalks scallions, ends trimmed, and chopped
2 packages of soba

Directions

Pour the oil into a large wok or skillet set over high heat. When hot, add the pork. Stir well, and cook until there is no more pink, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the mushrooms and shallots. Stir well, and cook them until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn down heat if they look like they will burn.
Add the pork back to the wok. Pour in the sake, and dislodge any browned bits on the bottom with a wooden spoon. When the sake has evaporated add the soy sauce. Cook for 1 minute, then turn off the heat.
Meanwhile, cook the soba noodles according to the directions on the pack. Drain, but do not rinse.
Serve the pork mixture atop the noodles. Garnish with scallions.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
677	Calories
32g	Fat
59g	Carbs
37g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	677
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 32g	41%
Saturated Fat 8g	38%
Cholesterol 80mg	27%
Sodium 1930mg	84%
Total Carbohydrate 59g	21%
Dietary Fiber 6g	21%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 37g
Vitamin C 11mg	53%
Calcium 83mg	6%
Iron 4mg	22%
Potassium 1138mg	24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.