Stir-fried Buckwheat Noodles with Pork and Shiitake

Dense, earthy noodles coated in a glossy brown sauce. The pork belly is seared until crispy, contrasting with the crunch of pak choi and the smoky aroma of Sichuan pepper.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 808
• Protein: 23 g
• Carbs: 79 g
• Fat: 46 g

Ingredients

• 400 g soba noodles ( dry )
• 300 g Pork belly ( thinly sliced )
• 2 piece Bok choy ( quartered )
• 150 g shiitake mushroom ( sliced )
• 3 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
• 1 tsp Brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil
• 1 pinch Sichuan peppercorn ( crushed )
• 2 piece Spring onion, sauté/poêlé sans matière grasse optional ( sliced for garnish )
• 20 g Fresh ginger ( finely grated or minced )

Instructions

1. Cooking the noodles

   Plunge the noodles into a large pot of boiling water. They should remain firm to the bite (al dente). Drain and rinse them immediately with cold water to stop the cooking and remove the sticky starch.

2. Preparing the garnish

   Slice the pork belly into thin strips. Slice the shiitakes and cut the pak choi into quarters. Crush the garlic cloves with the flat of the knife and grate the fresh ginger.

3. Searing the meat

   In a smoking wok, brown the pork without adding fat at first. The fat should melt and the meat should color and become crispy on the edges.

4. Stir-frying the vegetables

   Add the garlic, ginger, shiitakes, and pak choi. Stir-fry over high heat. The vegetables should remain bright green and crunchy, just seared by the high heat of the wok.

5. Binding and finishing

   Add the noodles. Deglaze with soy sauce and rice vinegar. Sprinkle with brown sugar and Sichuan pepper. Mix vigorously until the sauce coats every noodle. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil.

Chef's tips

• Do not overcrowd the wok, or the meat will boil instead of searing.
• Rinsing the noodles in cold water is the most important step to prevent them from clumping.
• If the sauce reduces too quickly, add a tablespoon of the noodle cooking water.

Storage

Keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water.