Spicy-Sweet Sambal Pork Noodles

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May 28, 2020

My daughter has a friend at Bon Appétit and he told her this was the best recipe they published this year. She made it and called me immediately to say it was the best thing she's ever eaten! So I made it last night and yes, these Spicy-Sweet Sambal Pork Noodles are all that and a bag of chips as my husband says. It's so good that you should make the full recipe. Apparently, it's even better the next day. Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste.

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 1 hrs
  • Yields: 6 - 8 Servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds ground pork, divided

1 x 2" piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into thin matchsticks or finely chopped

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 sprigs basil, plus more for serving

⅓ cup hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek)

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar

1½ pound fresh ramen noodles or 16 ounces dried spaghetti

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1Heat oil in a large wide heavy pot over medium-high. Add half of the pork to pot, breaking apart into 6 - 8 large chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook, undisturbed, until well-browned underneath, about 5 minutes. Turn pieces and continue to cook, turning occasionally, until pork is browned on 2 - 3 sides, about 5 minutes longer. Add ginger, garlic, sugar, and remaining pork to pot and cook, breaking up pork into small clumps, until meat is nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Add tomato paste and 2 basil sprigs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until paste darkens, about 2 minutes. Add chili paste, soy sauce, vinegar, and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened and flavors have melded, 30 - 45 minutes.

2Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until 1 minute short of al dente. Add to pot with sauce along with butter and a splash of pasta cooking liquid. Simmer, tossing occasionally, until sauce begins to cling to noodles, about 1 minute. Pluck out basil sprigs.

3Divide noodles among plates. Top with torn basil.

Recipe by Chris Morocco, Bon Appétit, February 22, 2019.

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1 Review

Eric Miller

May 28, 2020

This is so good–rich, spicy, sweet. It has it all.

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