The Shanghainese dish called cong you ban mian combines wheat noodles with fried scallions, the flavorful oil they fry in and salty-savory soy sauce. A lot of deep, bold flavor is wrested from a handful of ingredients for a filling and satisfying weeknight-friendly meal.
In this recipe from our cookbook “ ,” we cut the scallions into thin strips before cooking, allowing them to crisp evenly and quickly while flavoring the cooking oil. Once fried, they integrate nicely with the noodles rather than fall to the bottom of the bowl.
Ground pork is cooked in the scallion-infused oil until browned, then simmered with soy sauce and sugar to create a savory-sweet sauce. Be sure to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pan so no flavor is left behind. Don’t stir the scallions or pork too frequently; this slows down the browning and crisping process.
Dried Asian wheat noodles about the size of thin spaghetti work well in this recipe; non-instant dried ramen is a good choice, as are thin lo mein noodles (don’t use wide, flat lo mein).
A sprinkle of thinly sliced fresh chilies, though not traditional, balances the richness of the dish and adds a welcome kick of heat.
Start to finish: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
2 bunches scallions
10 ounces dried Asian wheat noodles (see headnote)
â…“ cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
8 ounces ground pork
â…“ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons white sugar
Kosher salt
1 or 2 Fresno or jalapeño chilies, stemmed and sliced into thin rounds (optional)
Directions
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. While the water heats, cut the scallions into 2- to 3-inch lengths, then slice lengthwise into thin strips, reserving the whites and greens separately. To the boiling water, add the noodles, then cook until tender (refer to package instructions for cooking times). Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool to the touch; set aside.
In a large skillet over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the scallion whites and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add about half of the scallion greens and cook, stirring occasionally, until well-browned and beginning to crisp, another 5 to 8 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Add the pork to the oil remaining in pan and cook over medium, stirring to break the meat into small pieces, until the meat is well-browned and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce and sugar, then bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan.
Reduce to low and add the noodles and fried scallions. Cook, tossing to combine, until the noodles are heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, then taste and season with salt. Toss in the remaining scallion greens. Divide among individual bowls and top with fresh chilies (if using).
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Christopher Kimball, The Associated Press
