Shanghai style minced pork noodles

Today I shall start documenting (haha, since that seems to be a major part of my new job scope - documenting things) my recipes, both those that I invent, as well as ones that I like. This will be my legacy when I die, so at least my hubby doesn't go hungry. After I'm dead, it doesn't matter what he does to my kitchen, at most I'll come and haunt him in his dreams to clean up! :D

This recipe was thrown together after 2 weeks of eating salad. Damn healthy but really boring, and *someone* was complaining. Since there wasn't much food in the fridge to begin with, and time is also short for me, this was a happy compromise. It took only 20 mins prep time (mostly on marinating, so I use the time to prepare my other dish, a salad - haha, still cannot escape that!) and 15 mins cooking time, and only 5 minutes to invent. I improvise as I go along!

Ingredients - Serves 2
200g minced pork
200-300g shanghai noodles (dry)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced onions/shallots
2 - 3 tsp cooking oil
Corn starch solution
5-6 dried mushrooms, sliced (soak mushrooms in hot water 1st)

Marinade for pork
0.5 tbls light soya sauce
0.5 tbls dark soya sauce
0.5 tbls chinese wine
0.5 tbls sesame seed oil
dash of 5 spice powder
dash of sugar

Sauce
1 tbls spicy bean sauce
1 tbls sambal
1 tbls XO sauce (optional)

Method
1. Boil enough water in a big pot. Once water has come to a rolling boil, toss in the noodles and cook as per instructions on the packet. I usually use 1 fistful (about 100g) per person but for people with bigger appetites, use 2 fistfuls. (but my hands are pretty small)
2. Once slighty under-cooked, pour away water and drain noodles in colander. Run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside. You don't want the noodles too well-cooked because u will be frying them up again later and still al dente.
3. Heat up some cooking oil. Toss in minced garlic and shallots and fry until you hear the sizzling sound (don't over do it). Toss in the sauces and stir well.
4. Toss in the mince meat and stir fry. Try to break up the minced bits into as tiny bits as you can. Throw in sliced mushroom. Pour in a splash of water (this is a gravy to be absorbed by the noodles, it is not a soup!) Cover and simmer for 5 -7 minutes until mushrooms are soft.
5. Once simmering merrily, pour in corn starch and incorporate well until sauce thickens. Pour back noodles and fold in carefully, warming up the noodles but be careful not to break up the strands.
6. Serve immediately with chopped spring onion if desired.

Verdict
My chief taster said that it wasn't a bad effort. Compared to Crystal Jade, it's less salty. However, it 'looks' like sphagetti. Ah well, think of it chinese sphagetti then!