Greens and Noodles

A great recipe for Chinese greens!

Hot Sour Salty Sweet is a wonderful cookbook by Torontonians Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford. The original recipe includes instructions for using fresh noodles, but we usually use dried noodles because they're easy to grab out of the pantry.
We like the taste of pork best in this dish, but we've also been happy with firm tofu or no protein at all.
You can find fish sauce and rice noodles at Superstore and Zehr's, but in downtown they're easiest to get from New City Supermarket or Benh Tanh grocery (both on King St.)
Miso is available in the cooler at health food stores. Full Circle in downtown Kitchener carries Tradition brand miso which is produced in Ontario and very tasty.

Our Favourite Noodles with Greens and Gravy (adapted a little from original recipe)
(serves 3-4)

1 lb wide dried rice noodles
¼ cup peanut or veg oil
2 ~ 3 tablespoons minced garlic
Scant ½ lb ground pork, lean beef or chicken (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 lb bok choy, or cabbage-family greens, cut lengthwise into ¼” wide spears and well washed (3 ~4 cups, loosely packed)
1 tablespoon miso (darker is better)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 ½ tablespoons rice or cider vinegar
1 ¼ cup mild chicken, beef, or pork broth. Or water.
1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
Generous grinding of pepper

Soak noodles in warm water for 15 minutes to soften, then drain and set aside.
Mix together the miso, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, and scant teaspoon sugar and set aside.
Place all other ingredients by your stovetop. Have a serving platter ready.
Heat large wok (or cast iron pan) over high heat. Pour in 1 ½ tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat. When hot, toss in about half of the noodles and stir-fry gently about 2 minutes, pressing them against the hot pan, then turn out onto platter and repeat with the remaining noodles, using only 1 T oil. Divide the noodles among the four plates.
Wipe out the pan, and place back over high heat. Add remaining 1 ½ tablespoons oil, and when it is hot, toss in the garlic and stir fry. Stir until starting to turn golden, about 20 seconds, then add pork and generous pinch of the sugar. Stir-fry about 1 minute, or until all the meat has changed colour.
Toss in the sliced greens and stir-fry, pressing the veg against the hot sides of pan, until they turn bright green, about 1 ½ minutes or more, depending on pan size.
Add in the miso/soy sauce mix, then add the broth or water and the cornstarch mixture. Stir to mix, then cover for 30 sec ~ 1 min, until the liquid comes to a boil. Remove the cover and simmer, stirring carefully from time to time for another 2 minutes, or until the liquid has thickened a little and the greens are tender.
Use your spatula or a ladle to distribute the meat, greens, and gravy over the noodles. Grind pepper over generously and serve hot.