Spicy Ginger with Noodles, Pork, and Boy Choy
Serves 4
Adapted from New York Times Cooking
12 ounces baby bok choy
2-3 inches fresh ginger, half minced and other half cut into thin matchsticks
8 ounces rice noodles or ramen noodles (I used instant ramen noodles), cooked according to packaging
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound ground pork
~⅓ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
½-⅓ cup green onions, thinly sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh chili pepper, seeded, thinly sliced (Thai, habanero, or jalapeno all work well)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, more for garnish
1½ teaspoons sesame seed oil, more for garnish
Cilantro or basil, coarsely chopped, for garnish
Trim bok choy and separate dark green tops from white stems. Leave the dark green tops whole and thinly slice the bottom white stems.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add ground pork and break down meat into bite sized pieces. Let the pork sit for a 1-2 minutes and get crispy. Stir and repeat until pork is cooked through.
Season with salt and add 1½ tablespoons soy sauce and ½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar. Let the meat soak for 1-2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a bowl and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to skillet. Stir in half of the green onions, minced ginger, and chili pepper. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the bok choy stems and a pinch of salt. Cook until the bok choy is almost tender, about 2 minutes.
Add the bok choy leaves and return the ground pork to the skillet. Let sit 1-2 minutes.
Add the noodles, ¼ cup soy sauce, and 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar into the skillet. Cook until everything has warmed through.
Garnish with remaining green onions, sesame seeds, sesame seed oil, herbs, and ginger sticks.
Enjoy!
