Dinner with Kirsten

When I buy groceries, I like to pick at least two or three types of meat for weeknight meals, and I usually don’t have a clue what I’m going to do with them. But I never thought that my Trader Joe’s pork chops would end up floating in noodle soup.

Geoff used to eat a version of fried pork chop noodles at a Chinese restaurant in Toronto, and when he saw these pork chops in the fridge he couldn’t wait to try recreating it. He had a hard time tracking down a recipe, but he did find this video demonstrating a recipe and technique for frying Asian pork chops.

Analyzing the final dish, Geoff decided we should have used thinner pork chops and fatter noodles, but I thought it was an excellent dinner. The best part? Crunchy bits of breading from the chops breaks off and float around in the soup like croutons, while the bok choy soaks up all the flavors of the broth. Geoff can keep “testing” and “perfecting” this recipe as often as he wants.

Geoff’s Pork Chop Noodle Soup

Broth:
4 cups chicken stock/broth
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
Black pepper, freshly ground
Bok Choy and other veggies

Bring the broth, ginger and pepper to a simmer. Add vegetables 5 to 10 minutes before ready to serve.

Batter:
2/3 cup flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup water

Mix together and add more water if batter is too thick.

Pork Chops:
3 to 4 pork chops
Cornstarch
Flour
Panko breadcrumbs

Dredge pork chops in cornstarch, then flour and shake off excess. Then dip in batter, then panko. Repeat with all chops. Heat oil in frying pan (or wok) and add pork chops. Fry until crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside. (Stick them with a thermometer if you’re not sure about doneness – they should register about 165 degrees.)

Boil Japanese or Chinese noodles according to package instructions – you’ll want them a little under-done, since they’ll continue cooking in the broth. Drain.

To serve, scoop some noodles into a bowl, place pork chop on top and ladle broth and veggies over them all. Enjoy!