Support

Recipes by Vivi: Pork and Ramen Noodles

Vivi Mazarakis is the author of Forking DC. You can read her previous columns here.

Pork and Ramen Noodles

This recipe was inspired by my recent trip to the Atlas District’s Toki Underground, a Taiwanese noodle and dumpling shop inspired by Japanese ramen houses. (Read my review of Toki here). Ever since slurping noodles there last weekend, I just couldn’t stop thinking about the Hakata Classic (ramen with pork loin). So, I turned to one of my favorite chefs, “Iron Chef” Masaharu Morimoto, and his book “The New Art of Japanese Cooking” to feed my obsession. Sitting on my couch, I leafed through the colorful images of Chef Morimoto’s beautifully plated food looking for a recipe I could try.

I will admit that many of Morimoto’s recipes are a bit intimidating. They call for either complicated cooking techniques or many exotic ingredients that most local grocery stores don’t sell, or don’t sell for a reasonable price. (Yes, I’m referring to the grocery store commonly referred to as “Whole Paycheck,” with whom I have a love-hate relationship.)

When I came across Morimoto’s Za Jan Noodles recipe, I thought: bingo! It would satiate my craving for both noodles and pork, and it seemed relatively easy to prepare. Below is my slightly modified version of this recipe. For vegetarians, swap out the pork with tofu and skip the egg. Tofu is a great substitute since it will soak up the flavor-packed sauce.

Most of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store. As for the red miso, you can find it and any other Asian specialty items at one of my favorite stores in DC – Hana Japanese Market at the corner of 17th & U St. NW. This place is a real gem and the owners are nice and very helpful. As for the sake, you’ll find that many liquor stores these days carry it. For example, you can find it at the liquor store across the street from Hana or De Vinos, a great wine store in Adams Morgan. Otherwise, cooking rice wine, which you can find at any grocery store, will work just fine.

Continues after the jump.

Ingredients
(Serves 4)

1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ lb ground pork
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
¼ c julienned bamboo shoots
1 ½ c chicken or vegetable stock
¼ c red miso
¼ c low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sake
1 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in ¼ c cold water
1 ½ tsp sesame oil
12 oz dried noodles (ramen or lo mein)
½ cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned
1 hard-boiled egg (optional)
1 scallion, thinly sliced on an angle
Sriracha sauce or Chinese chile sauce (to taste)

Start boiling water for your noodles. Combine the sugar, soy sauce, stock, and sake in a bowl. Mix in the red miso. Set aside. Note: Red miso is salty. I found that ¼ cup bordered on too salty, so I recommend adding a little red miso at a time and tasting the mixture as you go until you find the amount that’s right for you. Remember that the salty flavor will only intensify as the mixture cooks down later.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook (stirring often) for about 1 minute. Add the ground pork, breaking it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Brown the pork for about 5-6 minutes or until there is little to no liquid left in the skillet. Add the bamboo shoots and then add the red miso mixture. Bring the contents of the skillet to a boil and then add the cornstarch mixture. Cook until the sauce thickens and reduces. Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil. For some heat and additional flavor, add Sriracha (or chile sauce) to taste. Cover to keep warm until noodles are ready.

Drop noodles in boiling water and cook according to package instructions (usually about 4 minutes). Drain noodles and divide among four bowls.

Spoon the pork mixture over the noodles. Top each bowl with cucumber, chopped egg, and scallions. Enjoy!

Recent Stories

From an email: “We have an upcoming free yoga weekend event happening at Reunion 4/6-4/7: Join Reunion Hot Yoga in Park View, DC for a free weekend of yoga Saturday…

Sweet City Ride

Thanks to Mandi for sending: “1930 Oldsmobile? That’s just the best guess of someone who knows nothing about cars but faithfully attended the Iola Car Show with her dad every…

Photo by Julian Ortiz Ed. Note: If this was you, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP. “Dear PoPville, Man in Ovi jersey headed towards…

“Taylor with her duck at a dog park in Old Town.” If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’…

Calling all bookworms, thrill-seekers, supporters of the arts, and ping-pongers at all skill levels! Sign up for Paddlestar Galactica, the ping-pong tournament supporting 826DC’s youth writing programs.

826DC is a local nonprofit that offers free writing programs, homework help, and publishing opportunities for DC students ages 6-18, in our Columbia Heights writing center and in learning spaces across the city.

Paddlestar Galactica helps keep writing education 100% free and accessible for all of our students! It’s also extremely fun.

This year’s games will be Saturday, April 27th, 1 PM to 4 PM at SPIN DC. It’ll be a chaotic afternoon of ping-pong, costumes, terrible Battlestar Galactica puns, and good cheer. We’d love to have you join us!

Read More

Submit your own Announcement here.

Well-Paid Maids, the only certified living-wage cleaning service in the DMV, has added a new service to its online booking menu: office and building cleanings.

This includes offices, building lobbies, shared amenity spaces and more throughout D.C., Arlington, Alexandria and more.

Unlike so many other cleaning services, you can feel good booking Well-Paid Maids to clean your office or building. Cleaners get paid a starting wage of $24 an hour. Plus, all employees are offered health, dental, vision and life insurance; 24 paid days off per year; 100% employer-paid commuting costs; and more.

Read More

Submit your own Announcement here.

Vakili Band at Pie Shop!

Three band rock n rolll lineup at DC’s Pie Shop! Vakili Band with “if you know, you know” DC rockers, Lot 18, and the many minds and songs of artist Kind of Christine.

“If you love Vakili Band like we

×

Subscribe to our mailing list