Stir-fried pork belly with thread vermicelli and udon noodles

Name: Stir-fried pork belly with thread vermicelli and udon noodles
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 500g piece of pork belly, rind removed, cut roughly into 5mm dice; 200g bean thread noodles; 60ml olive or grapeseed oil; 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 5cm piece of ginger, finely diced; 3 bird's eye chillies, finely sliced; 2 celery stalks, cut into three lengthways and sliced 5mm thick across; 120g shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, sliced; 1 heaped tbsp fermented broad bean paste (doubanjiang); 8 spring onions, white and most of the green parts cut into 3cm batons; 200g dried udon noodles, cooked and kept warm; 100ml stock (beef, mushroom, chicken or vegetable) or water; 2 tbsp white vinegar; 1½ tbsp fish sauce; 2 handfuls beansprouts; 100g salted skin-on roasted peanuts, chopped or roughly ground; 6 lime leaves, vein removed, leaves shredded very finely; lime cheeks and coriander, to serve

Karen Martini

August 26, 2022

Double noodle stir-fry with marinated pork belly.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

This is my favourite stir-fry of the moment. It reminds me of the Bangkok street food that I fell in love with in the '90s – I'm obsessed with the combination of richly flavoursome, hand-chopped pork belly with the slippery noodles, crunch of peanuts, kick of chilli and zing of lime leaf. Don't be put off by the ingredient list; many are staples in a well-maintained pantry, and this is a meal that comes together quickly.

Ingredients

500g piece of pork belly, rind removed, cut roughly into 5mm dice
200g bean thread noodles
60ml olive or grapeseed oil
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
5cm piece of ginger, finely diced
3 bird's eye chillies, finely sliced
2 celery stalks, cut into three lengthways and sliced 5mm thick across
120g shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, sliced
1 heaped tbsp fermented broad bean paste (doubanjiang)
8 spring onions, white and most of the green parts cut into 3cm batons
200g dried udon noodles, cooked and kept warm
100ml stock (beef, mushroom, chicken or vegetable) or water
2 tbsp white vinegar
1½ tbsp fish sauce
2 handfuls beansprouts
100g salted skin-on roasted peanuts, chopped or roughly ground
6 lime leaves, vein removed, leaves shredded very finely
lime cheeks and coriander, to serve

For the marinade

1 tbsp kecap manis
3 tsp cornflour
2 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp peppercorns, crushed roughly in a mortar

Method

Step 1
Combine the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and add the pork. Mix to thoroughly coat and set aside to marinate for about 20 minutes.
Step 2
Soak the bean thread noodles in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain and snip into rough 4cm lengths with scissors.
Step 3
Heat a wok or frypan over high heat until very hot. Add half the oil and the pork and stir-fry until well cooked through and a little crisp (about 8 minutes). Remove pork and set aside, leaving the oil and rendered fat behind.
Step 4
Add the remaining oil to the wok, then the garlic, ginger and chilli. Fry for a minute until fragrant. Add the celery and shiitake and cook for 2 minutes. Add the bean paste and spring onion and stir briefly. Add both noodles, the cooked pork, stock, vinegar and fish sauce, then toss quickly to heat through. Add the beansprouts, peanuts and lime leaves at the last minute.
Step 5
Serve with coriander on top and lime cheeks on the side.