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Shanghai-Style Scallion Noodles with Ground Pork
The Shanghainese dish called cong you ban mian combines wheat noodles with fried scallions, the flavorful oil that results from frying them and salty, savory soy sauce. A lot of deep, bold flavor is wrested from a small handful of ingredients. Cutting the scallions into thin strips before cooking requires a little knifework but allows them to crisp evenly and quickly. And once fried, they integrate nicely with the noodles rather than fall to the bottom of the bowl. Ground pork makes our version hearty enough to serve as a main dish. Dried Asian wheat noodles about the size of thin spaghetti work well in this recipe; non-instant dried ramen is a good choice, as are thin lo mein noodles (don’t use wide, flat lo mein). A sprinkle of thinly sliced fresh chilies, though not traditional, balances the richness of the dish and adds a welcome kick of heat.
4
Servings
Don’t forget to add about only half the scallion greens to the skillet. The rest are used fresh at the end. Also, don’t stir the scallions or pork too frequently; this slows down the browning and crisping process.
35 minutes
Ingredients
-
2
bunches scallions
-
10
ounces dried Asian wheat noodles (see note)
Directions
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01In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. While the water heats, cut the scallions into 2- to 3-inch lengths, then slice lengthwise into thin strips, reserving the whites and greens separately. To the boiling water, add the noodles, then cook until tender (refer to package instructions for cooking times). Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool to the touch; set aside.
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GET DIGITAL & PRINTNot a favorite of ours. Could have been due to our noodle selection (buckwheat soba) but we just thought it was lacking in flavor and texture.
While also not traditional, I added a little bit of Chinese Five Spice powder to my pork at the end of cooking and that made for a nice flavor profile. I would probably add the chilis next time, but my husband and I enjoyed it just fine. I would also undercook the noodles just a little next time, like you would for Italian-style noodles, as I felt that the noodles got a little soft after adding to the sauce.
Very good and super easy to make. I used 1 1/2 pds of pork as my wife likes a higher meat to noodle ratio, but otherwise followed the recipe. I used ramen noodles, which were great. I also used serrano chilis on top per the recipe, but next time I'll add them to the pot a few minutes before serving so the flavor gets a bit more infused throughout the dish.
One of my new favorite recipes. Complex and deep in flavor.