Japanese Pork Abura Soba
Oil-dressed noodles with tender pork and crispy garlic — a quick, rich Japanese comfort dish that looks impressive but cooks in under 30 minutes. The tare (sauce) and fragrant oil make it unforgettable.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 22g
Ingredients
- 6 oz pork shoulder, thinly sliced
- 4 whole garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin or honey
- 6 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil, divided
- 7 oz ramen noodles or egg noodles (fresh or dried)
- 2 tbsp scallions or nori strips (optional)
- 0 salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1
Fill a large pot with 2 quarts of water and set it on high heat; bring to a rolling boil, which will take about 8–10 minutes.
- 2
While water heats, peel the 4 garlic cloves and slice them crosswise into thin discs, like slicing rounds off a cucumber.
- 3
Pat the 6 oz pork slices dry with paper towels to remove surface moisture, so they sear better.
- 4
Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into a small bowl and stir in the 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon mirin until combined — this is your tare sauce.
- 5
Add the dried noodles to the boiling water and stir with a fork to separate them; cook according to package directions until tender but still slightly firm.
- 6
While noodles cook, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan.
- 7
Add the pork slices to the hot skillet in a single layer and let them sit undisturbed for 1 minute so the bottom edges brown.
- 8
Stir the pork and cook for 2–3 more minutes, breaking the slices apart with your spoon, until no pink remains and the meat is pale throughout.
- 9
Transfer the cooked pork to a small plate and set aside; keep the skillet on the heat.
- 10
Add the sliced garlic to the same skillet with 2 tablespoons of fresh oil and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until the garlic turns golden-brown and smells very fragrant, like toasted garlic bread.
- 11
Remove the skillet from heat immediately — the garlic will continue to darken as it cools, so stop cooking before it turns too dark brown.
- 12
Drain the noodles in a colander, shaking gently to remove excess water; return them to the now-empty pot.
- 13
Pour the tare sauce over the warm noodles and toss with tongs until the noodles are evenly coated and dark brown, about 30 seconds.
- 14
Divide the noodles between two bowls, mounding them in the center of each.
- 15
Top each bowl with half the cooked pork, arranging it in a small pile on the noodle mound.
- 16
Slowly pour the garlic oil and all the golden-brown garlic pieces from the skillet evenly over each bowl, letting the oil soak into the noodles.
- 17
Scatter 1 tablespoon of scallions or nori strips over the top of each bowl if using, and serve immediately while the oil is still hot and fragrant.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot (3–4 quart capacity)
- medium skillet (10–12 inch)
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- colander
- wooden spoon or fork
- tongs
- small bowl
- paper towels
- two serving bowls
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
