Fried noodles are customary dishes all over southeast and east Asia. There are a wide range of variations using different cooking methods and ingredients. Fried noodles are also what I would call a one-wok wonder, it is easy, fast and scrumptious, normally prepared with a balance of meat and vegetables mixed with noodles. For my gluten free fried noodles, I am combining pork pieces, choy sum, shredded carrots and fresh bean sprouts tossed and stir-fried with rice noodles. You can substitute pork with chicken and choy sum with bok choy or any of your favourite leafy Asian greens.
Choy sum or choi sum (in Cantonese) and cai xin (in Mandarin) is a Chinese leafy green vegetable originated from China. The name precisely means “vegetable heart”, with botanical name Brassica rapa var. parachinensis, and it is a member of the cabbage family. Choy sum is considered as the most commonly used vegetable in Chinese cuisines and has a delicate sweet and mild mustard flavour. Often referred to as a flowering choy sum or Chinese flowering cabbage, it can be harvested with or without the yellow flowers.
Not only popular and delicious, choy sum is a rich source of vitamins C and A with a good source of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, betacarotene, calcium, iron, folate/folic acid and magnesium. Like all leafy Asian green vegetables, choy sum is also high in fiber and low in calories. Consuming more vegetables may reduce risk of obesity, coronary heart disease, stroke and some forms of cancer.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 kg skinless and boneless pork leg trimmed and thinly sliced to about 3cm in length
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 450 g gluten free rice sticks noodles
- 2 bunches choy sum washed and cut into 8cm in length
- 6 baby carrots peeled and finely shredded
- 200 g fresh bean sprouts 1 packet, washed and drained
- 2 tablespoons pale or medium dry sherry
- 1 ½ tablespoon salt or to taste
For the Sauce:
- 6 tablespoons gluten free thick soy sauce kecap manis (refer relevant recipe)
- 2 tablespoons pale or medium dry sherry
For the Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon of gluten free light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of pale or medium dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons gluten free corn maize starch
- 1 teaspoon of ground white pepper
Instructions
- Combine pork with marinade in a large bowl and mix well.
- Prepare and mix the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Fill a pot half full of water, bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Add the rice noodles into the wok for 2 minutes or until the rice noodles are soft. Separate the noodles, drain the water and set aside.
- Heat up a wok with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, stir-fry the choy sum with 2 tablespoons of dry sherry on medium to high heat for 2 minutes or until choy sum are just cooked. Remove and set aside. Clean wok with kitchen paper towel.
- Heat up the wok again with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, stir-fry the pork on medium to high heat for 3 minutes or until nearly cooked through. Remove pork and set aside. Discard pork juice. Clean wok with kitchen paper towel.
- For stir-frying and combining the dish, heat up the wok with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, add garlic and stir-fry until lightly golden on low heat. Return the pork and the noodles to the wok. Add the sauce, toss and mix well, stir-fry for another 2 minutes on medium to high heat. Lastly, add in the cooked choy sum, shredded carrots and bean sprouts, stir-fry for another 5 minutes or until the noodles are soft and ingredients are mixed through. Add salt to taste.
