Gingery Pork Udon With Frizzled Shallots

Description

Source: COOK COLOR - MARIA ZIZKA

Garlicky-ginger ground pork gains some flavor and smoothness from a spoonful of white sesame paste here. (In a pinch, you can use tahini.) But the real star of this dish might be the shower of thinly sliced shallots that are fried to a crisp.

Ingredients

• 1 large or 2 small shallots, very thinly sliced
• ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
• ½ yellow onion, finely chopped
• 8 ounces (225 g) ground pork
• 1 tablespoon white sesame paste
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon chile oil
• 1 pound (450 g) fresh or frozen udon noodles
• White sesame seeds, toasted, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Line a plate with paper towels or a clean brown paper bag and set aside.
2. Place the shallots in a small saucepan and pour in the vegetable oil.
3. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are mostly brown (the thinnest slices will be the darkest), 10 to 18 minutes.
4. Keep a close eye on the shallots once they are golden—they can go from brown to burnt pretty quickly!
5. Strain the fried shallots through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and then spread them out on the prepared plate.
6. Warm 3 tablespoons of the shallot oil in a stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. (Save the rest of the shallot oil for another recipe.)
7. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until they smell delicious, about 1 minute.
8. Stir in the onion and cook until it’s tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
9. Add the pork and cook, stirring and using the wooden spoon to break it up into small crumbly bits, until browned.
10. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the sesame paste, vinegar, soy sauce, and chile oil.
11. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
12. Add the udon noodles and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
13. Drain the noodles and transfer to serving bowls.
14. Top each bowl with spoonfuls of the gingery pork, some frizzled shallots, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Yield: Serves 2 to 4