This Chinese noodle soup recipe is from China: The Cookbook by Kei Lum Chan and Diora Fong Chan is published by Phaidon, £29.95 (phaidon.com).
Find more about the food of Shanghai in Kei Lum Chan’s guide.
Ingredients
- pork loin chops 2, trimmed of fat
- vegetable oil for frying
- pak choy 4, blanched
- ready-to-use Shanghai or udon noodles 300g, blanched
- salt ¼ tsp
- sesame oil ½ tsp
- pork broth 550ml (see below)
- spring onions 2, sliced
MARINADE
- shaoxing wine 1 tbsp
- garlic 2 cloves
- light soy sauce 2 tsp
- sugar 1 tsp
- ground white pepper ½ tsp
BROTH
- pork bones 1kg
- pork spare ribs 150g
- whole chicken thighs 300g, about 2 large
- ginger 25g
- spring onions 2, halved
- rice wine 4 tbsp
- rice wine vinegar ½ tsp
Method
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
