shanghai thick wheat noodle stirfry with julienne pork - 上海肉絲炒粗麵

This is another dish from childhood memory that I want to make. When we were teens growing up, there were many Shanghai restaurant in the neighborhood. They typically had a modest menu but everything was done to perfection. They always have one side of the shop that is an open kitchen right up to the store front that you can see how they make each batch of Shanghai style pot stickers 鍋貼. Shanghai style pot stickers are similar to Japanese ramen shop gyozas in which both have pork. Only the Shanghainese ones are larger, with a hearty skin that is fried to perfection at the bottom. These restaurants has a few soup noodles and fried noodles, in addition to the pot stickers, and many other delicious steamed and pad fried buns.

I spent some time recalling from memory the typical menu of these Shanghainese restaurants in old Hong Kong. They are incredibly good as everything is made in house, buy hands, fresh everyday. Today you will not find the same quality and authenticity even in Hong Kong. You can find them in Shanghai but with a lot of searching and tastings.

• Scallion pancake - 葱油饼
• Fried bread with Sesame seeds -芝麻餅
• Potsticker - 鍋貼
• Pan fried pork bun - 生煎包
• Pan fried beef bun - 生煎牛肉包
• Steamed pork bun - 蒸豬肉包; note this is different from Xiao long bao
• Steamed pork with vegetable bun -蒸肉菜包
• Xiao long bao – 小籠包; most in the West referred to as soup dumplings
• Sui gao – this is like wonton but with different fillings and typically larger
• Soup noodles top with fried pork chop -  炸豬排湯麵
• Fried glutinous rice cake with pork - 炒年糕
• Thick wheat soup noodle with julienne pork - 上海肉絲湯麵
• Thick wheat noodle stirfry with julienne pork - 上海肉絲炒粗麵

I should note that Shanghainese buns are very different from those in Southwest China. I prefer ones from the former and do not care for ones from the latter. One main difference is the Northeast buns are more glutinous made more like good bread or pasta. The Southeast buns taste mushy and fluffy, as well as sweet. The second difference is the pork filling. The Shanghainese fillings are typically juicy and tender, as well as just the right amount of fat.

The other day I wrote a post on shanghai thick wheat noodle with julienne pork - 上海肉絲湯麵. Using the same ingredients prepared I had many meals of that, and still have some julienne pork that has been marinated left over. I thought I would make a stir fry version of this thick noodle - 上海肉絲炒粗麵.

good cabbage is a must for this dish; it would turned out I should have twice as much

I gave some thought as what direction to cut the cabbage. I decided that by cutting across the fiber it will promote wilting as well as letting the favor transfer.

julienne pork that has been marinated; the dark colour is from the soy sauce to give it just the right colour when cooked

One subtle point that all the ingredients are julienne for a good reason. As you want every mouthful has bits of every ingredient, slicing them into long strips keep them evenly distributed. If you say diced up the pork and the cabbage what would happen is they will clump together in a pile. They bits of pork and cabbage will fall off as you pick up the noodles with a pair of chop stick. The relative proportions of the ingredients are just as important.

this is basically most of the ingredients other than the thick noodles and seasoning that are not shown

once the noodle has been blenched and cooked the dish is prepared in a wok by stir frying the pork and blending in the noodles, then season

The challenge of making this dish is to control the noodles so they are perfectly al dente. The pork should not be overcooked and the cabbage is lightly caramelized. It is also too easy to ended up with a oily mess as one add too much oil to prevent the noodles from sticking to the wok.

here is one small serving; the colour is perfect

as there is enough for two meals this is re-fried with more cabbage added

This dish is so delicious so it is all too easy to overeat your portion for a meal.

this is an attempt for this similar fried noodle at the fast food counter at 99 Ranch Market that I would not eat; but hay when you buy cooked food by the pound it is what you get

not surprising too are the sweet and greasy deep-fried American Chinese entries