Author Notes: Really not a lot to say about stir-fries that hasn’t been said before. Using a few pantry staples and whatever vegetables you have on hand, you can whip up something delicious in a matter of minutes. They come in handy especially when, say, you’ve been homebound for a week and are running out of options, and you have scraps of leftover vegetables moping around in the refrigerator begging to be productive in some way.
A new regular in my kitchen that I’ve been using in just about everything that I feel would carry its intense flavor and saltiness—fermented black bean. A little bit goes a long way, and the spicy pungency it provides is definitely a game changer in any stir-fry. The next time you make fried rice, add a teaspoon of it to your eggs before you whisk them up and scramble. I tried this neat trick once, and haven’t had it any other way since. I understand (I do, really) that not every recipe is as blank a canvas as a grilled chicken, but this stir-fry sure is. Add/omit ingredients as you wish and taste taste taste as you go along!
—Kirthana | Theblurrylime
Food52 Review: Tasty dish with a nice amount of heat. Preparations took thirty minutes which is good for a weekday meal. This was my first experience using black bean paste and the brand I used included salt and chiles, so lots of flavor. Although the recipe did not specify how to use the salt, I added some to the noodle water and no extra was needed. —Paula
Serves: 3 to 4
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients
-
200
grams rice noodles
-
300
grams minced pork
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1/2
cup chopped baby corn
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1
head of broccoli, chopped into florets
-
1-inch
pieces of ginger, finely sliced
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5
cloves of garlic, finely chopped
-
1
small onion, chopped
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3
stalks of spring onions, chopped (set the tops aside to use as garnish)
-
3
teaspoons black bean paste
-
1 1/2
teaspoons soya sauce
-
1
teaspoon rice vinegar
-
1/2
teaspoon chile flakes
-
2
tablespoons olive oil (plus extra for the eggs)
-
3
eggs, lightly beaten
-
2
dried red chiles, halved and de-seeded
-
1
teaspoon sesame oil
-
2
teaspoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted
-
2
tablespoons peanuts, coarsely chopped
-
Freshly ground black pepper
-
Salt
Directions
- Cook the rice noodles in a pot of boiling water. Immerse the baby corn into the same pot as the noodles 3 minutes before the noodles are done. Blanch the broccoli a minute before both are done, and drain out all together. You want the noodles and vegetables to be al dente and still have a bite to it.
- Pour the olive oil into a wok/pot over medium heat and toss in the dried red chiles, onions, spring onions (the bottom part), ginger, and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until translucent and lightly browned.
- Add the pork into the wok and, using a spatula, break up any clumps that are stuck together. Brown the meat thoroughly for a few minutes. Add in the black bean paste, soya sauce, rice vinegar, pepper, and chile flakes. (Note: Start by using 2 teaspoons each of soya sauce and rice vinegar, and taste before adding more). Cook for a few minutes until the rawness of the sauces are cooked off. Taste and adjust seasoning; set aside.
- In a skillet, lightly toast the sesame seeds and peanuts; set aside to sprinkle on top later. In the same skillet, add a few teaspoons of olive oil and lightly scramble the eggs, keeping it just a teeny bit runny.
- Toss in the noodles and vegetables into the minced pork mixture; add the scrambled eggs and mix through to combine evenly. Add a little water if necessary to loosen the consistency.
- Tip into your serving dish and garnish with the spring onion tops, peanuts, sesame oil, and seeds.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe with Sesame
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe with Noodles
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best One-Pan Dinner
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Umami-Centric Recipe
More Great Recipes:
Chinese|Bean|Egg|Grains|Meat|Noodle|Pork|Rice|Vegetable|Vinegar|Sesame Oil|Stir-Fry
9 Reviews