Dining and Cooking
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Stir-Fried Pork and Greens With Noodles

This Asian noodle dish is a simple combination of greens seasoned with ginger, garlic and pork. For a vegetarian version, you could substitute tofu for the pork.

Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch or 2 smaller bunches greens, such as Swiss chard, beet greens, turnip greens or kale (about 1 1/2 pounds), stemmed and washed well in several changes of water
  • Salt to taste
  • 8 ounces Japanese somen noodles, soba or wide rice vermicelli
  • 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
  • ½ pound lean pork, cut in 1/4- by 2-inch strips
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable, canola or peanut oil
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • ¼ cup chicken stock or water
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

      356 calories; 7 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 24 grams protein; 81 milligrams cholesterol; 866 milligrams sodium

      • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

Serves four

Preparation

  1. Fill a large pot with water, and bring to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the greens. Cook the greens 1 to 2 minutes, until just tender, and transfer with a slotted spoon or deep-fry skimmer to the ice water. Drain and squeeze out the water (you don’t have to squeeze them completely dry). Chop coarsely.
  2. Cook the noodles. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil, add the noodles, and stir to separate the strands. Add a couple of tablespoons cold water, just so the water doesn’t boil over. Boil somen noodles for two minutes, rice vermicelli for five to seven minutes, until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place in a bowl of cold water, then drain and toss with the sesame oil. Set aside.
  3. Heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over high heat until hot enough to evaporate a drop of water on contact. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, swirl to coat the pan, and reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the pork, and stir-fry for two to three minutes, until the meat is cooked through and there are no longer any traces of pink.
  4. Add the remaining oil, ginger and garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant and beginning to color, about 20 to 30 seconds. Stir in the greens, noodles, soy sauce and stock or water. Stir together until heated through, and serve.
  • Advance preparation: The noodles can be cooked a day ahead, and kept in the refrigerator. The cooked greens will keep for three or four days in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. Variation: Vegetarian Noodles With Tofu and Greens Substitute 1/2 to 3/4 pound firm tofu for the pork. Cut the tofu in small dice or dominoes, and stir-fry in place of the pork for three to four minutes until beginning to color before proceeding with the recipe.

20 minutes

Dining and Cooking