For fans of sate / satay peanut sauce, here's a delightful way to bring its flavors to the dinner table even if the weather does not permit grilling skewered meat.
Spread the pork slices in the pot, leave to brown the undersides a little then stir. Cook until no pinkness is visible.
Pour in three cups water then add the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, five-spice powder, bay leaves, chili flakes and sugar.
Bring to the boil, cover the pot and simmer until the pork is tender.
Prep the udon
In a clean pan, boil four cups of water.
Drop in the udon and allow to boil for a minute.
Drain the noodles, dump into a bowl of iced water, allow to steep until cool to the touch than drain.
Make the peanut sauce
Strain the pork, reserve the liquid and discard the ginger and bay leaves.
Reheat the reserved liquid in a pan.
Stir in the peanut butter and simmer until fully dissolved.
Disperse the cornstarch in two tablespoons of water, pour into the simmering sauce and cook, stirring a few times, just until the sauce thickens and is no longer cloudy.
Stir in the remaining sesame seed oil.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings (more soy sauce? sugar? both?), if needed.
Serve the dish
Off the heat, add the drained udon to the sauce and toss repeatedly.
Add the pork, scallions and sesame seeds.
Serve hot.
Notes
Korean chili flakes are sweet and mildly hot. The color adds brightness to the sauce without overpowering it with too much heat.