Rice noodles wok-tossed with bamboo and pork

COMPLIMENTARY RECIPE

"I discovered a small village in Bac Ha that grew a variety of red rice. When harvested and dried, the rice grains had a lovely purple colour — something I’d never seen before. This particular rice is also believed to have many medicinal qualities. So I bought some purple rice noodles and wok-tossed them with bamboo shoots and pork. The colour was so vibrant! Unfortunately, you can’t find purple rice noodles outside Bac Ha, so just use regular rice noodles instead. But remember, always use room-temperature fresh soft noodles, never ones that have come straight out of a fridge, as they will break during cooking." - Chef Luke Nguyen

SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, diced
200 g lean pork, thinly sliced
100 g cooked bamboo shoots
300 g fresh thick rice noodles, at room temperature
1 carrot, julienned
1 spring onion, cut into 4 cm lengths
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons kecap manis
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
bean sprouts, to garnish
coriander sprigs, to garnish

METHOD

Add half the oil to a hot wok. Add the garlic and pork and stir-fry over medium–high heat for 2 minutes, then add the bamboo shoots and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.

Remove the mixture from the wok and set aside.

Wipe the wok clean and reheat. Add the remaining oil, then wok-toss the noodles over medium–high heat for 2 minutes, until slightly charred.

Return the pork mixture to the wok. Add the carrot, spring onion, sugar, vinegar, oyster sauce, soy sauce, kecap manis and pepper. Stir-fry for a further minute.

Serve garnished with bean sprouts and coriander.