Spicy Peanut Noodles With Ground Pork And Shredded Vegetables

Spicy Peanut Noodles with Ground Pork and Shredded Vegetables is a delicious and satisfying dish that combines the flavors of spicy, savory, and nutty. To begin, cook the rice noodles in a pot of salted boiling water until they are just tender. Drain and rinse them under cold water before setting them aside. In a large skillet, heat some oil and cook the ground pork until it is cooked through and nicely browned. Set the cooked pork aside. In a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter, seasoned rice vinegar, fish sauce, oil, and warm water until you have a smooth sauce. This sauce combines the richness of peanut butter with the tanginess of vinegar and fish sauce. Add the drained noodles, cooked pork, chopped jalapeños, grated carrots, grated yellow squash or zucchini, and most of the fresh mint to the bowl with the sauce. Gently toss all the ingredients together until they are well combined and coated with the flavorful sauce. Garnish the dish with the remaining mint and serve it at room temperature. The dish is traditionally served with lime wedges on the side, allowing you to squeeze fresh lime juice over the noodles to add a bright and citrusy flavor.

These spicy peanut noodles with ground pork and shredded vegetables make for a satisfying meal that is packed with flavors and textures. The combination of the creamy peanut sauce, tender noodles, flavorful pork, and crunchy vegetables creates a delightful and well-balanced dish that will surely satisfy your cravings.

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• Kosher salt
• 1/2 lb. dried 1/4-inch-wide rice noodles (pad Thai noodles)
• 1 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
• 3/4 lb. lean ground pork
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter, preferably natural
• 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 11/2 Tbs. fish sauce
• 1 or 2 jalapeños, stemmed and finely chopped (seeded, if desired)
• 2 medium carrots (about 6 oz.), grated
• 2 large yellow squash or zucchini (about 1 lb.), grated
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
• Lime wedges, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles and cook, stirring often, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water; leave to drain in a colander.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp. of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until just cooked through, 4 to 8 minutes; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the peanut butter, vinegar, fish sauce, the remaining 1 tsp. oil, and 3 Tbs. warm water until smooth.
4. Add the drained noodles, pork, jalapeños, carrots, squash, and all but 2 Tbs. of the mint and toss gently.
5. Garnish with the remaining mint, and serve at room temperature with the lime wedges on the side.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

PER SERVING

• 620 CALORIES | 26G PROTEIN | 655G CARB | 29G TOTAL FAT | 6G SAT FAT |
  6G MONO FAT | 3G POLY FAT | 500MG CHOL | 1,000MG SODIUM | 5G FIBER

NOTE:

• Grated carrots, squash, and chopped mint balance the spicy heat of the jalapeños. For a milder dish, use only 1 chile and remove its seeds and ribs—they’re hotter than the flesh itself.