Noodles With Pork And Hot Bean Sauce

Chinese and Korean bean pastes are quite spicy; adjust the amount you use to suit your taste. They are available at Chinese and Korean markets.

Yield:

Serves 4 (Main Course)

Ingredients

1. 1 pound dried egg fettucine
2. 5 tablespoons Chinese hot bean sauce (preferably with garlic; sometimes called soybean paste with chili) or Korean gochujang paste
3. 2 teaspoons sugar
4. 1/3 cup peanut or vegetable oil
5. 1/4 cup finely chopped peeled fresh ginger (from a 3- by 1-inch piece)
6. 1 pound fatty ground pork (preferably shoulder)
7. 1/2 cup chopped scallion
8. 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Directions

1. Cook fettuccine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for every 4 quarts water) until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, stir together hot bean sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Heat a wok (preferably flat-bottomed) or a 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately, then add peanut oil, swirling wok to coat. Add ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add pork and stir-fry, breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add bean-sauce mixture and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Stir in scallion and remove from heat.
3. Drain noodles in a colander and add to pork mixture in wok. Add sesame oil and toss to coat well.

Notes