Noodles with Pork

INGREDIENTS

To marinate the pork

• 200 grams of pork, cut into strips
• 1 tbsp of soy sauce
• 1 tsp of dark soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp of baking soda
• 1.5 tsp of cornstarch

To season the noodles

• 150 grams of angle hair thin dried rice noodles
• 1 tbsp of soy sauce
• 1 tbsp of oyster sauce
• 1 tsp of dark soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp of five-spice powder
• 1/2 tbsp of lard

Others:

• 2 tbsp of pork lard or cooking oil for stir-frying
• 2 eggs
• 150 grams of mixed julienned vegetables (I used onion, carrot, bean sprouts, and chives)
• Toasted sesame seeds as garnish
• Chili flake to taste optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Marinade the pork with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, baking soda, and cornstarch, then set aside while prepping other ingredients. The baking soda tenderizes the meat, and the cornstarch prevents the meat from drying while stir-frying; with both ingredients, you get a juice, tender pork.
2. Bring a pot of water to a light simmer. Turn off the heat. Soak the angel-hair-thin noodles for 1 minute, then drain thoroughly. Note: Thicker noodles take a longer time to soak.
3. Season the noodles with soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, pork lard, and five-spice powder. Then mix and fluff the noodles until most strings are loosened and set them aside. Thin noodles like to tangle together. Pre-fluffing them makes the stirring much easier. Seasoning the noodles before stir-frying is beginner-friendly because you can take your time to prepare all the sauce to avoid rummaging around.
4. Julienne some vegetables (I used onion, carrot, bean sprouts, and chives). Although you can use whatever you have in your fridge, mixing different vegetables with multiple colors and textures will make the dish tastier and prettier.
5. Beat two eggs in a bowl and set aside.
6. Turn the heat to high and pre-heat your wok until smoking hot. Then add one tbsp of pork lard and fry the egg until set. Break the egg into bite-size pieces. Remove to the side.
7. Add one more tbsp of lard, then stir the marinaded pork over high heat until the meat changes color. If you don't like animal fat, use the oil you prefer.
8. Add onion and carrot, and stir for a minute, then add the rice noodles and the bean sprouts. Keep cooking and fluffing the noodles over high heat until you smell a toasty rice fragrance. If you are cooking a carbon steel wok, high heat is the key to preventing the noodles from sticking to the bottom and getting that unique wok hay flavor.
9. Add the chives, egg, toasted sesame seeds, and chili flake at the end. Keep tossing until the chives are welted. Enjoy!