Ginger-Pork Broth Noodles with Quick Pickled Cabbage

A light pork-bone broth steeped with fresh ginger and scallions, poured over wheat noodles with sesame-stirred ground pork and quick-pickled napa cabbage. It echoes Kaifeng’s Imperial Way night markets in Broth Along Imperial Way, as Meng Yuanlao’s Dongjing Meng Hua Lu remembers a capital that ate standing up after curfew.

Serves 4

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pork bones
• 4 oz fresh ginger
• 8 scallions
• 12 oz wheat noodles
• 8 oz ground pork
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 head napa cabbage
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 8 cups water

Instructions

1. 1Simmer pork bones, sliced ginger, scallions, and water in a large pot for 40 minutes to make a light aromatic broth. Skim foam as needed.
2. 2While broth simmers, mix shredded napa cabbage with rice vinegar, soy sauce, and white pepper. Let pickle for 15 minutes.
3. 3Heat sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry ground pork with remaining soy sauce, grated ginger, and white pepper until cooked and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
4. 4Cook wheat noodles in boiling water according to package time. Strain broth, season with remaining soy sauce and vinegar. Divide noodles into bowls, top with pork, pickled cabbage, sliced scallions, and hot broth.