Shan Noodles with Slow-Cooked Tomato Pork and Crispy Shallots

Method

1. Finely shred the cabbage, toss with part of the salt and leave for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid firmly. Mix in the rice vinegar and sugar and leave for 20 min: a tangy pickle standing in for Shan pickled mustard greens.

   Add in this stepWhite cabbage (or napa cabbage) 120 gSalt ¼ tspRice vinegar 2 tbspSugar (for the pickle) 1½ tsp

2. Slice half the shallots thinly and evenly and finely chop half the garlic. Put most of the oil and the shallots, cold, into a 16 cm small pan and fry on medium heat, stirring, for 7 min. Just before the shallots turn pale gold, add the garlic for 30 seconds, then strain and spread the crisp shallots and garlic on kitchen paper. Keep the fragrant oil. The oil is hot, so keep any water well away.

   Add in this stepShallots 1½Garlic cloves 3Peanut oil 3 tbsp

   medium heat

3. Chop the pork coarsely with a knife (it gives a better texture than mince). Pound or very finely chop the remaining shallots and garlic. Heat the remaining oil in a 24 cm pan on medium heat, fry the shallot-garlic paste for 3 min, then add the turmeric, paprika and soybean paste and stir for 30 seconds.

   Add in this stepPeanut oil 2 tbspShallots 1½Garlic cloves 3Ground turmeric ½ tspPaprika 1 tspYellow soybean paste 2 tsp

   medium heat

4. Grate the tomatoes on a box grater and discard the skins. Add the pork to the pan and stir-fry on medium-high heat for 4 min until crumbly and cooked, then add the grated tomato, soy sauce, palm sugar, part of the stock and part of the salt. Turn down to low heat and cook down for 20 min, stirring often. It is done when it has reduced to a glossy, jammy sauce and red oil separates at the edges.

   Add in this stepPork shoulder (in one piece) 240 gRipe tomatoes 3Light soy sauce 1½ tspPalm sugar (or light brown sugar) 1 tspChicken stock 100 mlSalt 0.4 tsp

   medium-high heat→low heat

5. Warm the remaining stock and salt in a 16 cm pan on medium heat for 5 min for the side broth.

   Add in this stepChicken stock 400 mlSalt ¼ tsp

   medium heat

6. Bring 2 L of water to the boil on high heat, cook the noodles for 3 min, shake dry and immediately toss with 1 tbsp of the shallot oil.

   Add in this stepDried flat rice noodles 160 g

   high heat

7. Put the noodles in bowls, top with the tomato pork sauce and finish with the crispy shallots and garlic, crushed peanuts, sesame, spring onion, coriander and chilli. Serve with the cabbage pickle and broth, and toss before eating.

   Add in this stepRoasted peanuts 30 gToasted sesame seeds 1 tspSpring onions 2Coriander (cilantro) 10 gChilli flakes (to taste) to taste