Udon Noodles With Ginger Pork and Pickles

Preparation time: 30 minutes + 20 minutes marinating
Total cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients for udon noodles with ginger pork and pickles:

10cm (4 inch) piece fresh ginger
pinch of sugar
200g (6 1/2 oz.) pork loin
500g (1lb) dried udon noodles
2 tablespoons cornflour
2 tablespoons oil
150g (5oz.) broccoli, cut into long thin florets
100g (3 1/2 oz.) Chinese pickled vegetables, finely sliced
4 spring onions, sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin or sherry
1 Lebanese cucumber, halved and finely sliced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions for udon noodles with ginger pork and pickles:

1. Slice one third of the ginger paper-thin and place in a bowl, then finely pate the rest. Squeeze the grated ginger over the ginger slices and discard the dry pulp. Season well with salt, pepper and sugar.

2. Cut the pork into 5cm U inch) strips, Add to the ginger. Mix well and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.

3. Cook the noodles in plenty of salted boiling water for about 12 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside.

4. Remove the ginger from the pork. Scatter the cornflour over the pork and
mix them well. Then heat half of the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Quickly stir-fry the pork until golden, adding the ginger at the end, Remove and set aside.

5. Heat the remaining oil and stir-fry the broccoli, pickles and spring onion for about 30 seconds or so. Add 1 tablespoon of water, and then cover and steam for 30 seconds.

6. Add the noodles, soy sauce and mirin to the wok and toss well until heated through. Add the pork and ginger and toss well. Divide between bowls, garnish with the cucumber and the sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Nutritional Value for udon noodles with ginger pork and pickles:

Protein 30 g;
Fat 15 g;
Carbohydrate 105 g;
Dietary Fibre 4 g:
Cholesterol 25mg;
Energy 2880kJ (885cal)

Hints for udon noodles with ginger pork and pickles:

1. Buy the Chinese pickled vegetables from Asian food stores and slice them finely.

2. Slice a third of the ginger as thinly as you can, then grate the rest over it.

3. Add the noodles, soy sauce and mirin to the wok and toss well.