Crispy Pork Noodle Bowl

w/ Pickled Cucumber

Serves: 4

Cooking time ~30 mins

You can make this dish within half an hour and there are so many different flavours / textures that come through. Any noodles will do but Udon work really well here. Usually you would use Sichuan peppercorns in the 'numbing oil' that you fry the noodles in, but I couldn't find any for love nor money.

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Ingredients:

500g Pork Mince

8x Spring Onions

6x Garlic Cloves

Same amount Fresh Ginger

1x White Onion

1tbsp Tomato Purée

Star Anise

Sesame Seeds

2tbsp Chinese 5 Spice

2tbsp Soy Sauce

1tbsp Maple Syrup

1x Cucumber

2 tbsp Tahini

Rice Wine Vinegar

Udon Noodles to serve

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Method:

Start with the Cucumber. Chop it up however you like - I prefer to scoop the middle watery mush out and then slice into thin strands. Chuck this in a bowl with a healthy amount of Sugar, Salt and a dash of Rice Wine Vinegar (White Vinegar will do). Add 4 of the Spring Onions which have been finely sliced. Toss together, cover and leave aside.

Finely dice the Onion, Garlic, remaining Spring Onions, and Ginger.

Get your Pork in a pan to fry, and as it starts to brown off, add your Onion, half of your Garlic and half of your Ginger. Add the Chinese 5 Spice here too. Fry off until you start to get a bit of colour.

In another bowl, we'll get the 'numbing sauce' on the go. Add your remaining Garlic, Ginger, Spring Onion, Tomato Puree, 1 tsp Sesame Seeds and a Star Anise. Add some Chilli Flakes here if you want the heat.

Get another pan on to heat with 4 or 5 tbsp of Vegetable Oil, wait until it's at a medium/high heat and then add those numbing sauce ingredients. Leave to cook for a couple of minutes, stirring well.

Check back on the Pork. You should have a nice amount of colour here now, so add your Soy Sauce, Maple Syrup and season to taste. Keep cooking this through until it's crispy and sticky.

Get your Udon Noodles into the numbing sauce and toss and fry them for a couple of minutes until fully incorporated.

While they're cooking, you can whip up a Tahini dressing. Add the Tahini to a bowl with a dash of Soy Sauce, Vinegar, Salt and a drop of Water and whisk until you get to a nice consistency.

Time to plate! Add a portion of the Noodles to the bowl, top with the Pork, the Cucumber and Tahini dressing.

Enjoy! If you fancy giving this a go, please tag @wellgoodgrub on Instagram.

#WellGoodGrub