Inspired by instant noodles. Seriously. We used to buy packs and packs of soy-calamansi instant noodles because it was the only flavor that was universally loved in my family. But that was over a decade ago. These days, instant noodles come in so many flavors it’s hard to stop trying to discover which is better and best.
But while we have stopped buying soy-calamansi instant noodles, the flavor combo is still a favorite. We pair soy sauce not only with calamansi juice but with lime or lemon juice too. It just goes well with meat, chicken and even seafood.
In this recipe, pork, mushrooms, carrot, green beans and cabbage are stir fried with noodles to make a one bowl meal. For the flavor base, shallots and garlic.
To keep the noodles from turning soggy, undercook them a bit so they can finish cooking in the sauce later. And it is important that, after boiling, you give them an ice bath. That stops the cooking immediately and ensures that they are springy when you stir fry them.
This is a stir fry so it is essential that all the ingredients be ready before you begin cooking. There simply won’t be any time to trim and cut your mushrooms and vegetables once the meat is already in the wok.
Because the vegetables and mushrooms require different cooking times, they are added to the wok at 30-second intervals. Don’t dump them all at the same time because, if you do, one or more will either be undercooked or overcooked.
Ingredients
- 150 grams dried egg noodles
- 100 grams pork sliced thinly then cut into strips and seasoned very lightly with salt and pepper
- 150 grams mushrooms whatever variety you prefer
- 1 small carrot julienned
- 8 green beans stringed then sliced thinly on the diagonal
- 4 shallots peeled
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup shredded white cabbage
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil
For the sauce
- 3 to 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3 to 4 tablespoons calamansi juice
- 1 generous pinch sugar
Instructions
- Cook the noodles in boiling water just until a bit underdone. Drain, drop in a bowl of iced water, let them get cold then drain once more.
- Prepare all the ingredients for the meat-vegetable stir fry.
- In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients for the sauce.
- Heat the oil in a wok.
- Add the pork and stir fry just until the meat changes color.
- Add the rest of the ingredients in the following order and with a 30-second interval between each addition: shallots, garlic, green beans and cabbage (these two at the same time), the julienned carrot and, finally, the sliced mushrooms. Season with more pepper if you like.
- Add the noodles. Pour in the sauce.
- Stir fry until the noodles are heated through and has absorbed the sauce.
