Connie’s notes
What variant of instant ramen is best? Chicken, beef, pork…? Japanese or Korean brand? Any. Even instant noodles meant for stir frying will work. Just note that the final flavor of the dish will depend in part on the packet of powdered seasoning that came with your noodles.
The ground pork does not have to be pork. It can be ground beef, chicken, turkey or duck. If you prefer a meatless dish, ditch the meat but double the amount of mushrooms. You may even use a combination of mushrooms.
Feel free to use other vegetables if carrot and green beans aren’t among your favorites. Any vegetable that can withstand the intense heat of stir frying will be good.
Ingredients
- 1 pack instant ramen
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 150 grams ground pork with at least 20% fat (about ⅓ pound)
- 1 small onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup shimeji root ends discarded
- ⅓ cup julienned carrot
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced green beans
Miso ginger honey sauce
- 1 heaping teaspoon white miso
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
Instructions
- Boil water in a pot and drop in the noodles. Cook until softened but still very firm (a bit undercooked is ideal).
- Drain the noodles (reserve a quarter cup of the cooking water), drop in a bowl of iced water, rest for a minute and drain well. Set aside.
- Heat the cooking oil in a wok or frying pan.
- Over high heat, spread the ground pork in the hot oil. Leave for the undersides to brown a little then stir and cook until no longer pink.
- Add the onion and cook, tossing often, until the onion slices go limp.
- Toss in the shimeji and continue stir frying for a minute.
- Add the carrot, green beans and instant noodle powdered seasoning. Stir fry until the vegetables are cooked through but still crisp.
- Stir together the miso, honey and ginger with the reserved cooking water from the noodles.
- Dump the noodles over the pork, mushrooms and vegetables.
- Pour the sauce over the noodles.
- Stir fry for another half a minute.
- Serve immediately.
Clam chowder
