Ginger Pork Stir Fry with Ramen

My family loves variety and we are always trying new things. Some recipes have to be made repeatedly, with changes each time, before they become “book worthy.” In my house, that term refers to any recipe that we love and want to have again. This recipe took quite a while to get to that point but now it makes regular appearances at out dinner table. With super easy ingredients like stir fry veggies, Ramen noodles and a sauce whipped up with kitchen staples it is a fast and delicious weeknight meal.

The prep for this recipe is the only part that takes time. Having everything ready beforehand allows you to just throw things in the pot step by step and the recipe becomes super fast. One of the first prep items to take care of is to cut the pork into bite sized pieces. Pork chops are often on sale at the grocery store and that is what I use but you could use a small pork roast or tenderloin if you like. You’ll want about a pound and a half or three cups all cut up. Put into it’s own bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

I usually pick up a 2 inch x 2 inch piece of fresh ginger at the grocery store, peel the skin off and then grate it on the cheese grater. You want to have about 2 tablespoons. I have made this using dried ground ginger (1 tsp) and it turned out but it really is so much better using fresh if you can. Along with the ginger you will need about 6 cloves of minced garlic. I use the minced ginger in the jar for this and it is not as potent so I use 2 tablespoons. Set aside for now.

Probably the most important and surprising part of this recipe is the stir fry sauce. It lurks quietly in the background and just kind of carries everything else. The veggies, meat & noodles steal the show and that is perfectly fine! The stir fry sauce is made up of pantry staples. Chicken broth, cornstarch, salt, soy sauce and sugar. Mix together and set aside. It will need to be stirred again just prior to using. This is a simple but really good sauce.

Lets talk a minute about stir fry veggies. At the grocery store, they sell bags of ready to use stir fry veggies. They are awesome and HUGE time savers. I use them all the time. You need 4-6 cups of veggies for this recipe. You can use packaged ones or you can cut your own instead. You can even add to the packaged ones if they are missing something you like or something in the fridge that you want to use up. We have a market nearby and it is affordable to buy fresh every week at this time of year so that is what I did for this recipe. I also pick up a can of baby corn and a can of sliced water chestnuts because my kids love them. They are optional.

With all of the prep work done, the meal is ready to come together. In a wok or a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Add the pork and season generously with salt and pepper.

Stirring occasionally, cook until cooked through and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the ginger and garlic and stir and cook until fragrant, about one minute.

Add the stir fry veggies to the ginger and garlic. Stir and cook about 2 minutes then add the baby corn and water chestnuts. Stir.

Fill a medium sized saucepan 2/3 full of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add Ramen noodles and cook 3 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside. NOTE: These are the cheap Ramen noodles that they sell at the grocery store for around 50 cents each. Discard the flavor packets and just cook the noodles. We have tried all sorts of noodles and we like these the best!

In the meantime, stir the stir fry sauce so that it is again well combined then pour into the skillet. Bring to a boil. Cook until sauce thickens slightly and veggies are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Add noodles and pork to wok or skillet and stir well until evenly distributed and heated through. Remove from heat and stir in chopped green onions and lime juice. Serve immediately. Enjoy!