Shanghai pork chop noodle soup
It might take a little while to make but this Chinese pork chop noodle broth, with its layers of flavour, is worth the wait. Freeze any leftover broth to use later
- 2 pork loin chopstrimmed of fat
- vegetable oilfor frying
- 4 pak choyblanched
- 300g ready-to-use Shanghai or udon noodlesblanched
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 550ml (see below) pork broth
- 2 spring onionssliced
MARINADE
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
BROTH
- 1kg pork bones
- 150g pork spare ribs
- 300g whole chicken thighsabout 2 large
- 25g ginger
- 2 spring onionshalved
- 4 tbsp rice wine
- ½ tsp rice wine vinegar
Method
step 1
To make the broth, put the bones, spare ribs and chicken in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover them completely. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water.
step 2
Put the rest of the broth ingredients, along with the blanched bones, ribs and chicken, in a large saucepan with 1½ litres of water and bring to the boil. Skim the froth and cook on a low heat for 3 hours. Strain the broth, discarding the meat and bones.
step 3
Meanwhile, use a meat mallet or rolling pin to tenderize the pork chops by hitting several times. Mix together the marinade ingredients in a bowl, add the pork chops and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
step 4
Fill a frying pan with 1cm of vegetable oil and heat to 170C or until a cube of bread browns in 45 seconds. Gently lower the pork chops into the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes each side, turning half-way, until golden and cooked through. Lay on kitchen paper and set aside.
step 5
Put the blanched pak choy and noodles in serving bowls, season with salt and sesame oil and ladle over the hot pork broth. Slice the pork chops and sit on top along with a scattering of spring onions.