Scallion Noodles With Ground Pork Recipe

The Shanghainese dish called cong you ban mian combines wheat noodles with fried scallions, the flavorful oil that results from frying them and salty, savory soy sauce. A lot of deep, bold flavor is wrested from a small handful of ingredients. Cutting the scallions into thin strips before cooking requires a little knife work but allows them to crisp evenly and quickly. And once fried, they integrate nicely with the noodles rather than fall to the bottom of the bowl. Ground pork makes our version hearty enough to serve as a main dish. Dried Asian wheat noodles about the size of thin spaghetti work well in this recipe; non-instant dried ramen is a good choice, as are thin lo mein noodles (don’t use wide, flat lo mein). A sprinkle of thinly sliced fresh chilies, though not traditional, balances the richness of the dish and adds a welcome kick of heat. —Christopher Kimball 

Scallion Noodles With Ground Pork

Start to finish: 35 minutes      

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 bunches scallions
• 10 ounces dried Asian wheat noodles
• ⅓ cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
• 8 ounces ground pork
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• Kosher salt
• 1 or 2 Fresno or jalapeño chilies, stemmed and sliced into thin rounds (optional)

Voracious/Little, Brown and Company

Directions

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. While the water heats, cut the scallions into 2- to 3-inch lengths, then slice lengthwise into thin strips, reserving the whites and greens separately. Add the noodles to the boiling water, then cook until tender (refer to package instructions for cooking times). Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool to the touch; set aside.

In a large skillet over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the scallion whites and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add about half of the scallion greens and cook, stirring occasionally, until well-browned and beginning to crisp, another 5 to 8 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl and set aside. 

Add the pork to the oil remaining in the pan and cook over medium, stirring to break the meat into small pieces, until the meat is well-browned and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce and sugar, then bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan.

Reduce to low and add the noodles and fried scallions. Cook, tossing to combine, until the noodles are heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, then taste and season with salt. Toss in the remaining scallion greens. Divide among individual bowls and top with fresh chilies (if using).

Excerpted from Milk Street 365 by Christopher Kimball. Copyright © 2024 by CPK Media, LLC. Photograph by Catrine Kelty. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.