This Pork w/ Pickled Mustard Greens Noodle Soup (雪菜肉絲湯米) is a Hong Kong classic. Usually serve for breakfast. Comforting yet not too heavy. Savory & filling!
Couple weeks ago, my stomach was feeling a bit off. I was craving for something comforting, but not too heavy. This pork with pickled mustard greens noodle soup (雪菜肉絲湯米) came into mind. It has good flavors and has a bit of everything, vegetable, meat, soup and noodles.
This dish is actually a classic from Hong Kong style cafes (Cha Chaan Teng 茶餐廳). It’s usually served during breakfast hours. Although this wasn’t my go-to growing up in Hong Kong, I have been eating it a lot more recently. This dish can be divided into 2 parts. The first is the topping. It’s a stir-fry of marinated pork strips with aromatics (shallots and garlic) and pickled mustard greens. The second part is the noodle soup. It’s a light chicken broth with rice noodles. This noodle soup is delicious, yet not too heavy or greasy. There is good range of flavors, like the savoriness from the pork, the slight bitterness and sourness from the mustard greens, and the mild saltiness from the noodle soup.
To start, get the pork ready. Cut them into thin strips, about 1/4-inch thickness. Then combine with marinade ingredients (except oil). Add the oil after and mix again. The oil will act as a protector to seal in the flavors. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes. When cooking the pork, make sure not to overcook.
There are a few different rice noodles or vermicelli noodles. Look for ones that is made with rice, not mung bean or anything else. Also, get one that is thicker, which is better in noodle soup. Boil them in water until half-cooked. Check package for more accurate cook time. Drain and rinse under cold tap water. Set aside to drain. Finish cooking the noodles in the soup base. The noodles will absorb some of the flavors from the soup.
For the topping, pickled mustard greens (雪菜) is brined in salt. It’s a bit salty, bitter & little sour. It can be bought in a whole bundle (like a bundle of spinach), but I’m not sure where to get one the US. In Hong Kong, you can easily find them in market. Luckily, there are some that come in cans, which can be found in most Chinese supermarkets. That’s what I used. The greens are already chopped and ready to use. Just drain quickly and add to skillet.
I love this noodle soup. It has complex flavors and it’s a really tasty and filling. Great for breakfast or even lunch or dinner. You have to try this! Let me know if you tried this.
Pork with Pickled Mustard Greens Noodle Soup 雪菜肉絲湯米
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pork butt (cut into ¼-inch thin strips)
- 6½ ounces rice vermicelli noodles 米粉 (thicker ones are preferred)
- 1 medium shallot (minced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 7 ounces canned pickled Chinese mustard greens 雪菜 (drained)
- Vegetable oil
Marinade for Pork:
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Shaoxing wine
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon corn starch
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
Seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- ⅓ tablespoon sugar
- 1½ tablespoons oyster sauce
- Drizzle of sesame oil
Soup:
- ⅓ can canned cream of chicken soup
- 1¾ cups water
- 1¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine pork strips and marinade (except oil). Then add oil and mix well again. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until half cooked, about 2 – 4 minutes (check package direction), stirring often to separate the noodles. Drain and rinse under cold running water for 10 seconds. Set aside to drain.
- In another medium pot, whisk together 1/3 can of canned soup with water. Once mixed, add chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet or wok over medium heat, add 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the pork and cook until no longer pink on the outside (not cooked through). Transfer to a medium bowl.
- In the same skillet, wipe clean with a paper towel. Over medium heat, add 1/2 tablespoon oil. Add shallot and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add pickled mustard greens and pork. Add the wine and let it evaporate for a minute. Then add the rest of the seasoning and combine well. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the half-cooked noodles into chicken soup. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Taste the soup and season with a pinch of salt if needed. Divide the noodles into 2 large serving bowls. Top with pork mixture and soup. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Rice vermicelli noodles (米粉) have many varieties. Some are thicker and some are very thin. I like thicker ones, especially in this recipe. They hold up better in soup and have a better texture. I used Three Ladies Brand, like this one.
- The amount of rice noodles is good for 2 people. If you’re extra hungry, use more noodles. But you’ll have to make extra soup.
- Pickled Chinese mustard greens (雪菜) is made with a type of mustard greens called Green In Snow (aka Shi-Li-Hon 雪裡紅). It’s a Chinese variety.
- For the pickled mustard greens, I used a Ma Ling canned one. On the can, the Chinese writing is 雪菜 (pickled mustard greens), but the English translation says “pickled cabbage”. That’s not correct, but it happens. I got my can from a Chinese supermarket. This one from Amazon would work too.
- For the soup base, I used unsalted cream of chicken soup. So I have to add a few pinches of salt at the end. But you may not need to if using regular cream of chicken soup. The soup base doesn’t have to be fully seasoned, because the topping will add more flavors. But it shouldn’t be completely bland either.
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