Spicy-Sweet Pork Noodles

by Susan Hanna

Sweet, spicy and hot — these delicious pork noodles from Bon Appetit are made from fridge and pantry staples and feed a crowd. Brown the pork and add ginger, garlic and sugar. Add tomato paste and basil, chili paste, soy sauce, vinegar and water. Cook the sauce down for about 30 minutes. Add cooked noodles, a little butter and pasta water to the sauce and serve.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

No Name tomato paste is additive free. I used Simply Natural Organic sriracha for the hot chili paste. Use tamari instead of soy sauce, because it uses alcohol as a preservative instead of sodium benzoate. I used Marukan rice vinegar and President’s Choice butter, which contains only cream. For more recipes using all-natural ingredients, visit Eye For a Recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 lb. (907 g) ground pork, divided
• 1 2-inch (5.08-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into thin matchsticks or finely chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) sugar
• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) tomato paste
• 2 sprigs basil, plus more for serving
• ⅓ cup (85 ml) hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek or sriracha)
• ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
• ¼ cup (60 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1½ lb. (680 g) fresh ramen noodles or 16 oz. (454 g) dried spaghetti
• Kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) unsalted butter

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a large wide heavy pot over medium-high. Add half of pork to pot, breaking apart into 6–8 large chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook, undisturbed, until well browned underneath, about 5 minutes. Turn pieces and continue to cook, turning occasionally, until pork is browned on 2–3 sides, about 5 minutes longer. Add ginger, garlic, sugar, and remaining pork to pot and cook, breaking up pork into small clumps, until meat is nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.
2. Add tomato paste and 2 basil sprigs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until paste darkens, about 2 minutes. Add chili paste, soy sauce, vinegar, and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened and flavors have melded, 30–45 minutes.
3. Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until 1 minute short of al dente. Add to pot with sauce along with butter and a splash of pasta cooking liquid. Simmer, tossing occasionally, until sauce begins to cling to noodles, about 1 minute. Pluck out basil sprigs.
4. Divide noodles among plates. Top with torn basil. Serves 6-8.

From Bon Appetit