Pork Rice Noodle Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 170–225 g (6–8 oz)rice sticks or rice noodles
• 225 g (8 oz)cooked pork, cut into thin strips or bite-sized pieces
• 2eggs, beaten
• 480–720 ml (2–3 cups)chopped napa cabbage
• 1 packetbeech mushrooms, tough base removed and mushrooms separated
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1–2 tablespoonscooking oil
• 2 tablespoonssoy sauce
• 1 tablespoonoyster sauce
• 1 tablespoonShaoxing wine or rice cooking wine
• 1 teaspoonsesame oil
• 1 teaspoonsugar
• 2–3 tablespoonswater
• to tastewhite pepper or black pepper
• 1–2 teaspoons, optionalchilli garlic sauce
• 225 g (8 oz)boneless pork tenderloin, pork loin or boneless pork chops, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoonsoy sauce
• 1 teaspooncornflour
• 1 teaspooncooking oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the noodles

   Cook the rice noodles according to the packet directions until just tender or slightly underdone. Drain them well and set aside.

2. 2

   Cook raw pork

   If using raw pork, mix the sliced pork with 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornflour and 1 teaspoon oil. Leave it for 10–15 minutes. Heat a little oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high to high heat, then stir-fry the pork until just cooked through. Transfer it out of the wok and set aside. Skip this step if using leftover cooked pork.

3. 3

   Scramble the eggs

   Heat about 1 teaspoon cooking oil in the wok over medium-high heat. Add the beaten eggs and scramble until just cooked, then remove them and set aside.

4. 4

   Fry the garlic

   Add another tablespoon of cooking oil if needed. Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 20–30 seconds, until fragrant.

5. 5

   Cook the vegetables

   Add the napa cabbage and beech mushrooms. Stir-fry for about 2–4 minutes, until the mushrooms soften and the cabbage starts to wilt.

6. 6

   Add the noodles

   Add the prepared rice noodles to the wok.

7. 7

   Toss with sauce

   Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, water, optional chilli garlic sauce and pepper. Toss until the noodles are evenly coated and have absorbed the sauce.

8. 8

   Return pork and eggs

   Add the cooked pork and scrambled eggs. Toss and stir-fry for another 1–2 minutes, just until the pork is heated through.

9. 9

   Taste and serve

   Taste and adjust with extra soy sauce, pepper or chilli garlic sauce if you like. Serve immediately.

What is pork rice noodle stir-fry?

This is a quick wok-style meal built around rice noodles, pork and vegetables tossed with a savoury sauce. Stir-frying is used in many Asian cuisines, and this version brings together familiar ingredients including soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil.

Using cooked pork makes it especially useful for leftovers, while egg, cabbage and mushrooms add contrasting textures. The noodles are cooked separately first so they can be tossed through the sauce without keeping the vegetables on the heat for too long.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 468 calories, 46g protein, 7g carbs, 28g fat.

The rice noodles provide most of the carbohydrates, while pork supplies much of the protein. Cooking oil, eggs and sesame oil contribute fat, and the sauces add flavour as well as some sodium. To balance the plate, serve a portion with extra fresh or lightly cooked vegetables on the side.

Choosing the noodles and pork

Rice noodles: Follow the packet instructions and stop when they are just tender or slightly underdone. They will soften further when tossed in the hot wok with the sauce.

Pork: Leftover cooked pork can go straight into the final toss. For raw pork, the brief soy, cornflour and oil coating seasons it and helps it cook evenly; cook it separately before adding the vegetables.

Build flavour in stages

Garlic: Give the minced garlic only about 20–30 seconds in the oil, until fragrant. It can turn bitter if it browns too much.

Sauce: Soy and oyster sauces provide savoury depth, while Shaoxing wine or rice cooking wine adds another layer of flavour. Water helps the sauce coat the noodles, and sesame oil is included with the other sauce ingredients for tossing.

Keep the vegetables crisp-tender

Cabbage: Stir-fry it with the mushrooms for 2–4 minutes, stopping when it begins to wilt but still has some bite.

Mushrooms: Separate the beech mushrooms after trimming off their tough base so they cook evenly. Avoid leaving them in the wok longer than needed; the recipe calls for them to soften before the noodles go in.

Toss without overcooking

Noodles first: Add the drained noodles before pouring in the sauce ingredients, then toss until they are evenly coated. If the noodles are clumped together, gently separate them as you toss.

Finish briefly: Add the cooked pork and egg near the end and stir-fry for just 1–2 minutes. This is enough to heat leftover pork through without keeping the already-cooked ingredients in the wok too long.

Serve it straight from the wok

This dish is best served immediately, while the noodles are hot and the vegetables retain some texture. Taste at the end and adjust with soy sauce, pepper or chilli garlic sauce to suit your preference.

For a fuller plate, serve it with a simple side of fresh vegetables or a light, crunchy salad. Keep any side seasoning modest so it does not compete with the savoury noodles.

Recipe notes & tips

• Drain the noodles thoroughly so excess water does not dilute the sauce.
• Have the sauce ingredients measured and ready before you start stir-frying.
• Use a large wok or frying pan so the noodles and vegetables can be tossed freely.
• Cook raw pork in batches if the pan is crowded, then set it aside as directed.
• Add chilli garlic sauce gradually and taste before adding more.
• Serve as soon as the pork and eggs are heated through.

Variations

• Add more greens: Stir-fry extra napa cabbage for a more vegetable-forward dish.
• Adjust the heat: Leave out the chilli garlic sauce for a milder version or add it to taste.
• Use leftover pork: Cut roast pork into thin strips or bite-sized pieces before adding it.
• Change the mushrooms: Use another mushroom variety if beech mushrooms are unavailable.
• Swap the wine: Use rice cooking wine instead of Shaoxing wine as listed.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the noodles: Stop when they are just tender or slightly underdone, since they cook further in the wok.
• Crowding the wok: Too much food at once makes tossing difficult; use a large pan and cook the raw pork separately.
• Burning the garlic: Stir it for only about 20–30 seconds, until fragrant.
• Leaving the cabbage too long: Cook for 2–4 minutes and take it off the heat once it starts to wilt.
• Adding pork too early: Return cooked pork near the end and heat it through for only 1–2 minutes.
• Skipping the final taste: Check the seasoning before serving and adjust with soy sauce, pepper or chilli garlic sauce.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container and use within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot in a frying pan, adding a small splash of water if the noodles seem dry.

Frequently asked questions