Food Matters: Noodles with Spicy Cabbage and Pork

Have a head of cabbage lying around?

We did, thus prompting this (delicious) meal:

Noodles with Spicy Cabbage and Pork
*adapted from Mark Bittman's The Food Matters Cookbook

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 40 minutes

Salt
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
8 oz. ground pork or thinly sliced pork shoulder
1 Tbs. minced garlic (1-2 cloves)
1 Tbs. minced ginger (about a 2 inch piece, minced finely)
1 head cabbage, chopped (either Napa cabbage, 1 1/2 - 2 pounds, or 1/2 of large green cabbage)
8 oz. rice, buckwheat (soba), or wheat noodles, preferably whole grain (I had organic Udon on hand)
3 Tbs. soy sauce (we use light)
1 Tbs. sesame oil
Red chile flakes to taste
Black pepper
1 bunch cilantro, give or take, chopped
Lime wedges

1. Put a big pot of salted water on the stove for the pasta. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and, 1 minute later, add the pork. Sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork browns and is no longer pink, 3-5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon and remove the pork and lower the heat to medium-low.
2. Add the garlic and ginger to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute.
3. Add the cabbage (fill the skillet until almost overflowing) and 1/2-3/4 cup water and cook, covered, stirring occasionally. Cook covered until the cabbage is soft and almost translucent (15-20 minutes for green cabbage), then cook uncovered until the water evaporates and the cabbage begins to brown. You can raise the heat to medium if it is taking awhile.
4. When the cabbage is almost ready, bring the water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. When the noodles are done, drain them and reserve some of the cooking water.
5. Add the noodles to the skillet with cabbage, along with pork, soy sauce, sesame oil, red chile flakes, and some black pepper. Add some of the cooking water if the mixture seems dry.
6. Adjust the seasoning and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.


Notes / Tips:
- We had green cabbage in our Door to Door Organics box, so that is what we used. The original recipe called for Napa cabbage, which may cook more quickly.
- Go light on your salt, especially if you are using full-force soy sauce. You can always add more at the end.
- My mom suggested that this is similar to Moo-Shu Pork, which it is. I bet it would be good served warm in a thin flour tortilla, or in one of those rice paper rolls.