Stir Fried Pork with Peanuts and Mushrooms
Photography by Aaron McLean.
This Asian version of ‘spag bol’ has a drier-style meat sauce and is delicious topped with fresh cucumber and spring onions with the added crunch from peanuts.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
300 grams fresh wheat noodles
Pork
2 tablespoons soybean paste
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine)
2 teaspoons cornflour
2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
300 grams pork mince (we use Freedom Farms)
200 grams button mushrooms, finely chopped
large handful beansprouts
To serve
½ cup chopped coriander
½ cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
METHOD
Noodles: Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and refresh in cold water then toss with a little vegetable oil. Set aside.
Pork: Combine the soybean paste, hoisin, Shaoxing and cornflour in a bowl then add the chicken stock and set aside.
Heat both the oils in a wok or large sauté pan until very hot. Add the spring onions, garlic, mince and mushrooms and cook over a high heat, breaking up the pork with a spoon. Don’t add extra oil as the mushrooms will start to release a lot of liquid.
Cook, stirring constantly until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the soybean mixture and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes until reduced by half. Add the beansprouts and cook until wilted then add the noodles and toss together until well combined and the noodles are hot.
To serve: Stir half of the coriander and the peanuts into the noodles.
Divide between serving bowls and top with the cucumber, spring onions and the remaining coriander and peanuts.
Pantry note: Soybean paste is available at Asian food stores. Look for one that doesn’t contain MSG.

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