Spice up your week with these irresistible Spicy Pork & Sesame Noodles! This dish comes together in a flash and stays fresh for days, making meal prep a breeze. With metabolism-boosting capsaicin from the gochujang and gut-friendly miso, it's a flavour-packed journey that's as good for you as it is delicious!
optional
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the tahini, miso paste, 40ml rice vinegar, light soy sauce, and MSG (if using) until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the 130ml water, a little at a time, whisking well after each addition until you achieve a velvety sauce. Set aside.
Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise, then thinly cut into half moons. Pick the leaves from the coriander and mint. Finely slice the green tops of the spring onions, reserving the white parts for the pork. Toss the cucumber, coriander, mint, and green spring onion tops together in a bowl. For extra crunch, you can place the salad in iced water while you finish cooking.
Peel the garlic cloves. In a blender, combine the garlic, gochujang, Korean chilli flakes, Chinese dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, sugar, and the reserved white parts of the spring onions. Blitz until the mixture is smooth and fragrant.
Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Once sizzling hot, add the vegetable oil. Add half of the pork mince, pressing it into the pan to brown on one side. After a few minutes, use a spatula to break it up. Once fully cooked, remove the pork from the pan and repeat with the remaining mince.
Return all the cooked pork mince to the pan. Pour in the blended spicy pork sauce. Stir well and cook for another 2-3 minutes, ensuring the pork is evenly coated with the sauce.
If preparing for batch cooking, divide the spicy pork into 4 separate containers. Store the tahini miso sauce and herb salad in separate containers to maintain freshness. Refrigerate everything for up to 5 days.
When ready to eat, cook the egg noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain the noodles and toss them with the tahini miso sauce. If stored, reheat the spicy pork in the microwave for about 2 minutes until hot. Divide the noodles among plates, then top with the spicy pork and fresh herb salad. Finish with an extra drizzle of tahini miso sauce, if desired.
For an extra layer of flavour, toast the sesame seeds lightly before adding them to the tahini miso sauce.
If you prefer a less spicy dish, reduce the amount of gochujang and Korean chilli flakes.
To keep the herb salad crisp for longer, store it in an airtight container with a damp paper towel.