Fast, Fresh, and Flexible

Spicy Noodles with Pork Recipe | Dara O’Brien

By Dara O’Brien
Creative Director, Lake Isle Press

The kitchen in my last apartment, which was in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, was small and a bit quirky. There was very little counter space, and the oven was so small that my half sheet pans wouldn’t fit. That, however, was the least of that oven’s problems; it also couldn’t open. It was in a corner with a cabinet directly perpendicular to it, and this cabinet had a handle. The handle jutted into the path of the oven door and blocked it so you couldn’t pull it down further than four inches.

So I guess previous tenants never saw the inside of that oven, which I discovered was indeed pristine once I took the handle off the cabinet. That’s not all that surprising. Using your kitchen very little or not at all is kind of a New York thing. This city is awash with easy, easy, oh so easy access to more great eateries than you can shake a menu at. New Yorkers can dine like kings and queens just about any time, anywhere—and, like royalty, they don’t need to do the cooking.

Perhaps I’m made of peasant stock because I cook in my kitchen. Although like many New Yorkers I dine out regularly, if I’m eating in I usually cook the meal myself. I got into the habit a while back when I was trying to save money, but now I do it more as a creative challenge and a point of culinary pride. I’ve devised enough ways to rustle up some grub that I don’t really need to order in.

Even though I live alone, I make extras for most meals so I’ll have leftovers, and I try to prepare a big meal at least once a week and freeze the extra portions. When I’m time-pressed, though, a loaded (or unloaded) baked potato works for me, and shortcuts are fair game. Braised coleslaw mix makes for a fast side dish; canned beans are my friend. I’ve been known to open a jar of pasta sauce every now and then (Victoria Vodka Sauce is my go-to), and jazzed-up ramen noodles will do in a pinch.

Then there’s the middle ground: between full-on cooking and leftovers or ramen lies the land of quick meals. Spicy Noodles with Pork fits the bill.

The recipe is from “Serves One” by Toni Lydecker, published by Lake Isle Press. It’s so fast I didn’t even bother to double it (but I had plenty of leftover sauce anyway). It’s more or less a pantry meal. The only thing I had to pick up in order to make it was the black bean and garlic sauce.

This recipe provided a handy way to use up a third of a pound of seared pork tenderloin I’d stashed in my freezer. I defrosted it to give the recipe a test run. subbing in some udon noodles I had on hand. Easy, tasty, and flexible.

I didn’t use all of the pork, so a day or two later I mixed it and the leftover sauce along with carrots, onion, zucchini, peas, and corn to make fried rice. Two fast, easy meals from the pantry and the freezer. Who needs take-out?

Spicy Noodles with Pork Recipe

Click here for printable recipe.

Serves One
Prep: 15 Minutes | Cook: 10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces dried rice noodles or cellophane noodles (see Note)
1 tablespoon black bean and garlic sauce (see Note)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
3 ounces thin-cut pork chop (or chicken breast or sirloin steak)
½ medium carrot
½ celery rib
1 scallion
2 teaspoons peanut or other vegetable oil, divided
2 teaspoons finely chopped or grated ginger root
Crushed red pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

Place the noodles in a bowl. Cover with boiling water and let stand until they soften, about 10 minutes; drain. Combine the black bean sauce with the soy sauce and ⅓ cup water in a small bowl; set aside.
Cut the pork into thin ¼ inch strips. Cut several lengthwise slices of carrot with a potato peeler; stack the slices and cut lengthwise into very thin strips about 3 inches long (julienne). Slice the celery and scallions in the same way. Set aside.
In a saucepan, bring 1 quart water to a boil. Add the drained noodles and, after the water returns to a boil, cook for about 5 seconds until soft; drain
Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a skillet or small wok. Stir-fry the ginger for a few seconds, add the pork, and continue to stir-fry until the pork is no longer pink. Transfer the pork to a bowl.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Stir-fry the carrot, celery and scallion for a couple of minutes until crisp-tender. Return the pork to the skillet. Stir in the bean-sauce mixture and the hot noodles. Season with crushed red pepper.

Cook’s Notes

For the cellophane noodles, you can substitute the precooked Asian wheat noodles sold in some produce departments. Add the noodles to the stir-fried mixture and cook, stirring, until hot.
Black bean and garlic sauce is readily available on the Asian shelves of your supermarket. Look for the Lee Kum Kee brand.
Rather than wielding a knife yourself, use the shredded vegetables available in many produce departments.

Spicy Noodles with Pork
Recipe from “Serves One” by Toni Lydecker
Lake Isle Press, 2005

Recipes for one that nourish the soul as well as the body that mostly call for only 10 minutes of active prep time. Many featured recipes are all-in-one meals requiring minimal cleanup—main-course salads, simple stir-fries, fresh takes on pizza and pasta, savory soups, and inventive sandwiches.

ALSO FROM SERVES ONE:

RISOTTO WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS AND PEAS RECIPE

PENNE WITH SAVORY BROCCOLI SAUCE

ALSO BY TONI LYDECKER:

PIATTO UNICO: WHEN ONE COURSE MAKES A FULL ITALIAN MEAL
featuring HERBED ROAST PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PARSNIP PURÉE RECIPE

SEAFOOD ALA SICILIANA: RECIPES AND STORIES FROM A LIVING TRADITION