Rice Noodles with Pork and Vegetable Sauce
In Japan, this dish is called Ankake, a popular dish with a variety of meat, seafood, and vegetables cooked in a light gravy served over rice, crispy noodles, or on noodle soup. By pan-frying the noodles, the crispiness is added to the mochi-like texture of the rice noodles. The tasty sauce with a plenty of vegetables makes it a hearty dish.
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The starch in rice flour gelatinizes when processed with heat, making it an ideal binding element for the noodles.
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Different rice flours absorb liquid differently depending on the brand of products and manufacturing methods. Please adjust the amount of water to be added to rice flour by carefully monitoring the consistency.
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All rice flour is naturally gluten-free. Make this dish completely gluten-free by using gluten-free substitutes for other ingredients as needed.
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Ingredients such as Japanese eggplants and Chinese soup base mix can be purchased online or at Asian grocery stores.
4 servings
Ingredients
For the noodles
| 1¾ cups (300g) | rice flour |
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| ¼ cup (50g) | potato starch |
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| 1¼ cups (300ml) | hot water |
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| ¾ cup (160ml) | vegetable oil |
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| Additional rice flour for dusting | |
For the sauce
| 7oz/200g | ground pork |
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| 2 teaspoons (10g) | minced ginger |
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| 2 teaspoons (10g) | minced garlic |
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| ½ head (500g) | Napa cabbage, cut into 1½ inch (4cm) bite size pieces |
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| 2 (160g) | Japanese eggplants, cut into ¾ inch (2cm) cubes (about 2 cups) |
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| 1 (60g) | carrot, sliced (about ½ cup) |
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| 1⅔ cups (400ml) | water |
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| 1½ teaspoons (9g) | salt |
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| 1½ teaspoons (9g) | soy sauce |
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| 2½ teaspoons (15g) | Chinese soup base mix or chicken bouillon |
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| 1 bunch | green onions, chopped (about ½ cup) |
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| 3 tablespoons (30g) | rice flour |
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| 3 tablespoons (44ml) | water |
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| ½ tablespoon (7ml) | sesame oil |
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Directions
For the noodles
In a medium bowl, combine rice flour and potato starch with a spatula. Gradually mix in hot water and oil. When cool enough, knead with hands. Continue kneading until the dough becomes smooth and satiny. Add more rice flour if the dough is too soft.
Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Boil water in a large pot. Remove the wrap and place the dough inside parchment paper folded in half. Flatten evenly to 1/8 inch (2-3mm) thickness with a rolling pin. Dust the surface with extra rice flour. Slice the dough sheets into 1/8 inch (2-3mm) width strips.
Boil the noodles for approximately 2 minutes. Do not stir. Drain and set aside.
For the sauce
Heat the wok over high heat and sauté ground pork. When it starts to change color, add ginger, garlic, Napa cabbage, eggplants, and carrots. Stir constantly until the vegetables are almost tender. Add water, salt, soy sauce, and Chinese soup base mix. Combine well and simmer.
In a small bowl, combine rice flour and water. Add the water mixture and the green onions to the sauce. Toss gently until the sauce thickens, then mix in sesame oil. Set aside.
Heat the skillet over high heat. Add oil and pan-fry the noodles for 4-5 minutes, or until the noodles turn golden brown.
Place the noodles on the plate and top with the sauce. Serve immediately.
- This recipe uses US customary units. Measurement equivalents include: 1 teaspoon = 5ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, and 1 US cup = 237ml or 8fl oz. (1 metric cup = 250ml or 8.5fl oz.)
- The cooking time using microwave oven in this recipe is based on 1,000W in the US.
- The temperature and baking time may be different depending on the oven used. Please adjust accordingly.
- All rice flour is naturally gluten-free. Make this dish completely gluten-free by using gluten-free substitutes for other ingredients as needed.