Pork and vegetable stir-fry

I’m adapting and recycling a post from October ’08 which was called “The power of ramen”. I know there are those who might consider these cheap noodles a copout. But when you consider how little they cost, how good they actually taste, how quick they can be prepared, and how versatile they are, logic tells me it’s a path I want to continue to go down.

There are two reasons I want to air out my ramen thoughts: I’ve made a number of stir-fries with them recently, and back in ’08 no one was ever reading my blog. I’ve included a recipe for a stir-fry I just made for lunch. Bear in mind that the ingredients can be almost anything.

To prepare the noodles even before you know what you’re going to do with them: boil them for 3 minutes, drain, rinse with cold water, drizzle with olive oil or sesame oil, toss to coat and so that they don’t stick together. Now you’re in business for a pasta-style dish, a soup, a stir fry, a late night snack (warm or cold). I generally don’t use the flavor packets that come with the noodles, although I did sprinkle just a bit of it on the lubricated noodles to add some flavor to my skirt steak stir fry.

For a normal adult appetite 1 pack of ramen per person is perfect. (I’m channeling Jacques Pepin here: “one pocket pair pairson”.)

I’m sure you know that you can buy these in bulk, 5 or more packages together, for a total cost of about 30 cents each. I always have them on hand. Now don’t get me wrong, we cook a lot of real pasta in this household. It’s just such a convenience to use ramen from time to time.

That’s pretty much all I wanted to say. Search for my “The power of ramen” for more ideas.

I’ll close with a limerick:

There once was a man who loved ramen,
Though others would think they are common.
He boiled those worms
And then came to terms
With multiple apps, now say “amen”.

Pork and vegetable stir-fry
2 packages ramen noodles
10 oz. pork chops, boned and sliced
2 tbsp Chinese rice wine
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
¼ large onion, sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

1/2 cup snow peas

1/2 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup braising greens, mustard, kale, endive or romaine
fish sauce

Boil the noodles for 3 minutes, drain, rinse with cold water, drain, drizzle with sesame oil, sprinkle with a bit of the flavoring packet. Set aside.

Before boning and slicing the pork, marinate it for 2 hours in the rice wine, soy and vinegar. Rinse, dry, bone and slice.

Heat a wok over high heat (7 on my 1-10 dial). Add 1 tbsp veg. oil. When the oil is hot, stir-fry the pork for no more than 2 minutes. Set aside in a bowl.

Put the onions and jalapeno into the wok. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger. Fry 1 minute. Add peas and greens. Fry 1 minute. Transfer all this to a bowl.

Add a little more oil. Put the pork and ramen into the wok. Toss constantly until hot. Add back the veg. Season with a little more rice wine and soy and add some fish sauce.

Keep tossing until everything is heated through. Serve.