Sunday, February 17, 2019

Shanghai Noodles with Pork and Bak Choy...


Chinese New Year is celebrated for 16 days including the Eve with 20% of the population around the world alongside Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. This post is lots late in the just over 2 weeks occasion. Due to severe weather conditions I had to cancel my Chinese New Year cooking class (on the 6th) and deferred it to the following week. When I thought about what to cook with the seniors, noodles came foremost to mind. It was my wish to them for a long life (long strands of noodles symbolize longevity) with some pork thrown in ode to the year of the pig. Shanghai noodles fit the bill, more sweet in profile to also send wishes of sweeter things to come. I came across Chef Martin Yan's Shanghai Noodles with Pork and Bak Choy and adapted it for the class. Marbled Soy Sauce Eggs brewed with or without the tea leaves made a perfect side. The egg's shape- round and full represents abundance, harmony and good luck.   


Chewy wheat and egg E Fu Noodles (yee mein) are the proper noodles to make longevity dishes. However, I used thick wheat noodles to make it easier for toting downtown via TTC. Either works beautifully in this Shanghai noodle dish. If you like yee mein, check out my most recent post, cooking it with Cantonese-Style Lobster.

Sold in circular dried formats, find E Fu Noodles on the shelf near the refrigerated section.


Shanghai Noodles with Pork and Bak Choy (adapted by Martin Yan) 
Serves 4 to 6

1 lb. Shanghai-style thick noodles
¼ to 1/2 lb. ground pork

Marinade:
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch

Seasonings:
2 Tbsp. sweet bean sauce or hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. oil
2 quarter-sized slices peeled ginger, cut into thin strips
1/3 cup Szechuan preserved vegetables, rinsed and chopped
2 Tbsp. cooking wine
3 heads baby bak choy, each cut lengthwise into 8 segments
2 green onions, trimmed and cut into thein 2-inch-long strips

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water, according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again.

Combine the soy sauce, cornstarch, and pork in a bowl, mixing until well coated. Let stand for 10 minutes.


Stir the bean sauce/hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil together in a small bowl until well blended. 

Loosen the strands before cooking or it will clump together.

Heat a wok over high heat until hot and add the oil. Add the ginger and preserved vegetables and cook, stirring until fragrant, about ten seconds. Add the pork and stir-fry until no longer pink, about two minutes. Stir in cooking wine. Add the bak choy and stir fry until tender, about two minutes. Add the noodles, green onions and seasoning, and toss gently until heated through.


This was a test dinner night with the family, to ensure the noodles cooked up just right before making them next day in class. Alongside, we had Pork Ribs and Pickled Mustard Soup, Mixed Mushrooms Beancurd Rolls and Marbled Soy Eggs.


Onto my Seniors Chinese Cooking Class... Noodles underway...


I love seeing the learners get hands-on! These ladies were stir-fry experts!


Let's Get Crackin'....

Cracking the hard boil eggs' shells before simmering in soy sauce brew for at least one hour.

The aromatics of star anise, five spice powder and cinnamon sticks.

Digging in time! Oodles and Oodles on Noodles...


Look at that perfect cracklin'... For recipe and step-by-step, check out my Marbled Tea Eggs.


Gung Hey Fat Choy everyone! 
May you live a happy and long life!


Marbled Tea Eggs

Full Recipe:

Shanghai Noodles with Pork and Bak Choy (adapted by Martin Yan)
Serves 4 to 6

1 lb. Shanghai-style thick noodles
¼ to 1/2 lb. ground pork

Marinade:
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch

Seasonings:
2 Tbsp. sweet bean sauce or hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. oil
2 quarter-sized slices peeled ginger, cut into thin strips
1/3 cup Szechuan preserved vegetables, rinsed and chopped
2 Tbsp. cooking wine
3 heads baby bak choy, each cut lengthwise into 8 segments
2 green onions, trimmed and cut into thein 2-inch-long strips

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water, according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again.

Combine the soy sauce, cornstarch, and pork in a bowl, mixing until well coated. Let stand for 10 minutes.


Stir the bean sauce/hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil together in a small bowl until well blended.

Heat a wok over high heat until hot and add the oil. Add the ginger and preserved vegetables and cook, stirring until fragrant, about ten seconds. Add the pork and stir-fry until no longer pink, about two minutes. Stir in cooking wine. Add the bak choy and stir fry until tender, about two minutes. Add the noodles, green onions and seasoning, and toss gently until heated through.



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