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!
Recipe 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 rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms. 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 facts
Very easy to follow, and very tasty. Thanks!
Glad to hear that, Isabelle.
Have made this a few times now & it’s a pretty forgiving recipe, being equally good with pork shoulder or chicken thighs. Tried adding 2 Tbsp michiu wine & some garlic which were very good additions. Forgot to soak dried shiitakes the other night & used canned button mushrooms & it still turned out really good. Have used both sweet potato noodles & mung bean noodles & there’s not a lot of difference. Out of noodles? Then served over hot rice is just as good!
But we did find out sweet potato noodles will absorb all the sauce, so now I serve & store any leftovers separately.
Thanks for a great recipe we’ll be enjoying from now on :-)
Hi Trish, if you really enjoyed this dish, then you must try: https://thewoksoflife.com/northern-chinese-sour-cabbage-stew/, it’s so good and addictive ;-)