Chili Crunch Noodles with Ground Pork and Five Bean Salad
Food photography and recipe creation by Abby Mosler. Find her on Instagram @sweetrindandsalt
Ingredients
8 oz. ground pork
2 ½ tbsp. tamari or soy sauce, divided (½ tbsp. for pork and 2 tbsp. for sauce)
2 tbsp. mirin or rice wine vinegar, divided
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 cups Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad, drained and lightly rinsed
¼ cup peanuts (optional)
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white sugar
2 tsp. sesame oil (preferably toasted, but regular with also work)
2 whole green onions, thinly sliced (plus more for garnish, if desired)
2-3 heaping tbsp. chili crunch in oil (this amount can be altered based on the heat of the chili crunch)
1 tbsp. minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger (roughly a 1-inch knob)
2 tsp. sesame seeds
8 oz. dried wheat stir-fry style noodles (such as lo mein, ramen, or spaghetti)
1-4 tbsp. reserved pasta water
Instructions
- In a small to medium bowl, add the ground pork, ½ tablespoon tamari, 1 tablespoon mirin, and the black pepper. Mix well and let sit for a few minutes to marinate. Heat a medium skillet over medium/high heat and add the ground pork mixture. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, break up the meat into crumbles and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is browned and slightly caramelized; about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the Paisley Farm Five Bean salad and the peanuts. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add 2 tablespoons of tamari and 1 tablespoon of mirin, along with the sugar, sesame oil, and salt. Whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the green onions on top of the sauce mixture but DO NOT MIX.
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the chili crunch in oil and sesame seeds. Bring to a strong simmer. Stir in the garlic and ginger. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 60 seconds, or until the mixture is fragrant. Remove from the heat and pour over the green onions and sauce mixture. Let sit until it is done sizzling and mix well.
- Next, cook your noodles according to package directions. DO NOT drain the noodles. Instead, simply transfer them directly to the chili crunch and green onion mixture using a pasta fork. The little bit of water left on the noodles will break up the sauce and help it stick to the noodles.
- Add the ground pork mixture to the bowl of noodles and gently toss everything together. If the mixture is still too dry, add 1 to 4 tablespoons of pasta water (one tablespoon at a time) to the mixture until you have the desired consistency.
- Plate the noodles and garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and extra chili crunch if desired.
- Enjoy!
