Spicy-Sweet Sambal Pork Noodles

This tasty and quick dish is listed as one of Bon Appétit’s Most Popular Recipes of 2019. It’s a great list! 🙂 The dish is inspired by pad kee mao, known as drunken noodles.

I used fresh noodles from an Asian grocery that were the most similar to fresh ramen noodles. This dish was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Chris Morocco. I modified the proportions and method. Great.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

• 2.5 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 lbs ground pork, divided
• 1 2 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into thin matchsticks or finely chopped
• 10 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 1/2 T granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 T tomato paste
• 2 sprigs basil, plus more for serving
• 6 T hot chili paste (I used sambal oelek)
• 5 T soy sauce
• 5 T unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 lbs fresh ramen noodles or 16 to 20oz dried spaghetti
• Kosher salt
• 2 1/2 T unsalted butter

1. Heat oil in a large wide heavy pot over medium-high. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.)
2. Add half of 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.
3. 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.
4. Add tomato paste and 2 basil sprigs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until paste darkens, about 2 minutes.
5. Add chili paste, soy sauce, vinegar, and 2 1/2 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.
6. Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until 1 minute short of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. (I cooked 1 pound of noodles at a time for 1 minute each, removing the first batch with a bamboo strainer.)
7. Add to cooked noodles to the 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.
8. Adjust consistency with additional pasta water, as desired.
9. Divide noodles among plates. Top with torn basil.