Braised Glass Noodles with Pork & Napa Cabbage, or 白菜猪肉炖粉条, is a traditional dish from Northern China, and I’m pretty certain that most northerners have their own creative ways of cooking it. Some like to use sour cabbage instead of fresh cabbage, and some like to add chili. Some prefer it saucy, and others prefer an almost soup-like consistency. Of course, everyone claims that their own mother or grandmother makes the best version.
I am certainly not here to compete with the mothers of the North, but I do want to shed some light on this delightful dish, and this is how I like to prepare it. Plus, I know you guys love noodles! If you’re a fan of our Ants Climbing a Tree recipe (another famous glass noodle dish), you’ll love these braised glass noodles with pork and napa cabbage.
The most common glass noodle in Chinese cooking is generally the mung bean noodle. It’s super absorbent, and soaks up liquid a little too quickly. So for this recipe, I decided to use Korean sweet potato noodles (commonly used for Japchae). I like the texture of these noodles, and they work great in this dish!
You’ll need:
- 3 oz. dried sweet potato noodles
- 1 teaspoon oil, plus 3 tablespoons
- 8 oz. pork belly, thinly sliced
- 3 slices of ginger
- 1 to 2 star anise
- 6 fresh or rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 pound napa cabbage, cut into large pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken stock or water
- 1 scallion, chopped (optional)
Pre-cook the sweet potato noodles, following the instructions on the package. Drain and toss in a teaspoon of oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat until just starting to smoke. Brown the pork belly for about a minute, and then turn the heat down to medium. Remove the pork belly from the wok and set aside.
Add the ginger, star anise, and mushrooms, and cook for a minute.
Turn the heat back up to high, and add the napa cabbage.
Stir-fry for a minute, and then add the salt, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and chicken stock (or water).
Mix everything well, cover, and simmer for 3 minutes. Mix in the cooked glass noodles and pork belly, cover, and simmer for another 2 minutes.
Stir in the chopped scallion (if using) and serve!
Braised Glass Noodles with Pork & Napa Cabbage
Ingredients
- 3 oz. dried sweet potato noodles (85g)
- 1 teaspoon oil (plus 3 tablespoons)
- 8 oz. pork belly (225g, thinly sliced)
- 3 slices ginger
- 1 to 2 star anise
- 6 shiitake mushrooms (fresh or rehydrated dried)
- 1 pound napa cabbage (450g, cut into large pieces)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken stock (or water)
- 1 scallion (chopped, optional)
Instructions
- Pre-cook the sweet potato noodles, following the instructions on the package. Drain and toss in a teaspoon of oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat until just starting to smoke. Brown the pork belly for about a minute, and then turn the heat down to medium. Remove the pork belly from the wok and set aside. Add the ginger, star anise, and mushrooms, and cook for 1 minute.
- Turn the heat back up to high, and add the napa cabbage. Stir-fry for a minute, and then add the salt, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and chicken stock (or water). Mix everything well, cover, and simmer for 3 minutes. Mix in the cooked glass noodles and pork belly, cover, and simmer for another 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped scallion (if using) and serve!
Nutrition
Lianna Novitz says
Loved the glass noodle cabbage combo! Only change I would make is to stir fry the spices then stir fry the pork with the spices for a bit. The pork turned out a little flavorless with just the browning in the oil – the simmering later didn’t add a lot.
janet peters says
do you remove the thick pork belly skin before slicing?
Judy says
No need, Janet, unless you don’t like the skin ;-)
J. Ong says
You did it again Judy. Another great recipe. I’m used to using more ingredients in my sauces and aromatics in my stir-fries, but the amount you recommended here turned out just right. I had more than a pound of napa cabbage and I couldn’t resist picking up a few more shiitake mushrooms for this, so I’m not sure if it was the added vegetation, but my husband and I could have used more noodles. Maybe 5 oz instead of 3, but otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m looking forward to trying out more of your recipes. As always, thanks for sharing.
Judy says
Hi J, so glad you and your husband like it and do feel free to adjust the recipe to your liking.
Rose says
OMG this is amazing! My family is from Beijing and this is my favorite dish that my uncle makes! Can’t wait to try – thanks for sharing! :)
Judy says
Please give this recipe a try, Rose! I’m sure you’ll like it.
Jake says
I just made this for dinner tonight! It was so good! I added the daikon after being inspired by your BRAISED DAIKON WITH SALTED PORK & GLASS NOODLES recipe and I couldn’t decide which one to make lol Thank so much!
Judy says
Hahaha…it’s all good, Jake, it’s all good!
Michelle says
As always, a hit! I needed something new to cook with my CSA’s napa cabbage and once again, you all saved the day. I’m not a huge anise fan, but I knew I could trust the recipe. It was the perfect addition of flavor. I subbed in rice noodles, but can’t wait to try it again with sweet potato ones. Thanks for always being a a go to!
Judy says
Thank you so much for your heartwarming comment, Michelle!
Nai says
I’m obsess with noodles so this I must try. But I don’t eat pork, can chicken be a good substitute?
Judy says
Hi Nai, yes, you can use chicken.
Jackie Loh says
Hi Judy
Can I prepare this dish a day ahead and just warm it up for lunch the next day?
Judy says
Hi Jackie, you can, but you need to add the glass noodles when you re-heat the next day, because glass noodles cook within a minute or two.
Chloe says
All my favourite flavours, can’t wait to try this! I’m currently studying in China and it’s so hard to find recipes that won’t break the bank AND have ingredients that are readily available to me! I’d only need to go out to buy the meat for this one. It seems like it’d be ready in a flash too. Perfect!
Judy says
Hope you like it, Chloe! BTW, we have so many recipes that you can try while in China. Start with our quick and easy recipes.
Kerry says
Hi! I’m planning to make this for a CNY potluck. I have mung noodles so will be using that instead. Will the noodles absorb all the sauce if I leave them in the pot? What can I do? Cook the last stage at the host’s home?
By the way, I cooked your Cantonese braised pork belly with arrow head and it was so delicious! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!
Judy says
Hi Kerry, Happy CNY! Sorry that I missed your comment. I’d cook the last stage at the host’s home. Hope you had a great CNY potluck.