Noodles with Spicy Cabbage and Pork

It seems the food I'm cooking lately is just so very...brown.  Maybe I should just call it "earthy".  Could be part of the reason I've switched to this pink and blue background since my food is somewhat lacking in color.  But the flavor of this noodle dish (once again from Mark Bittman's "Food Matters" cookbook) made up for the lack of color.

I really liked just about everything about this dish.  I loved the texture of the rice noodles; it had just about the right amount of heat for me.  I think the only thing I might do different is just go all vegetarian and omit the pork, maybe add some mushrooms.  It was pretty good left over too.  Here's the recipe. 

Printer-friendly Recipe

Salt

2 tbsp vegetable oil

8 oz ground pork or thinly sliced pork shoulder

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 head Napa cabbage, chopped (I used regular cabbage)

8 oz rice, buckwheat, or wheat noodles

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp chile oil

black pepper

chopped cilantro

lime wedges

1. Put the oil in a large deep skillet; add pork and brown it, sprinkling with salt.  Remove from pan with slotted spoon and lower heat to medium low.

2.  Add garlic and ginger to skillet, stirring occasionally cook about one minute.  Add the cabbage, along with 1/2 cup water and cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and cook about 5 minutes more until cabbage begins to brown.  In the meantime cook noodles according to directions, making sure they don't get mushy.  Drain the noodles and reserve some of the cooking water.

3.  Toss the noodles in the skillet along with the pork, soy sauce, sesame oil, chile oil, and black pepper.  Add some of the cooking water if the mixture seems too dry.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.  
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