Pork Lagman with Potatoes and Noodles

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make pork lagman with potatoes and noodles? Gather the ingredients. You can use any cut of pork for the soup — I have part of a leg. You can also swap the pork for any other meat you prefer. Be sure to use filtered water; tap water can leave an off taste. Use fresh, seasonal vegetables. Use durum wheat noodles, or you can substitute spaghetti. Better still, make homemade lagman noodles.

2. Step 2:

   

   First, rinse the piece of meat you're using under running water. Pat it dry with a paper towel, trim off any membranes, and cut it into medium pieces.

3. Step 3:

   

   Peel the onion, rinse it, and cut it into small cubes. To keep your eyes from stinging while you chop, rinse the cut onion and the knife under running water.

4. Step 4:

   

   Scrub the carrots clean with a brush and peel them with a knife or a vegetable peeler. Cut the carrots lengthwise into four, then into medium pieces. I used a crinkle cutter.

5. Step 5:

   

   Wash the bell peppers and remove the stems and seeds. Cut them lengthwise into strips, then into squares. Any color of pepper works, but red adds more color to the soup. I used green and red.

6. Step 6:

   

   Wash the tomatoes, remove the stem ends, and cut them into pieces — ideally about the same size as the other vegetables for a nicer balance. If you don't like tomato skins, score an X on each one and scald it with boiling water; the skin will slip right off.

7. Step 7:

   

   Scrub the potatoes clean with a brush, peel them, and cut them into medium cubes. Or cut them into larger pieces, to your taste. I cut mine with a crinkle cutter.

8. Step 8:

   

   Rinse the herbs under running water, pat them dry with a paper towel, and chop them finely. Use any herbs you like: dill, parsley, cilantro, celery, or basil.

9. Step 9:

   

   Take a deep skillet and coat the bottom and sides with neutral vegetable oil. Add the onion, carrots, and bell pepper. Fry over medium heat for about 5–7 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

10. Step 10:

    

    Push the vegetables to one side. Add the cut meat to the skillet and fry it until lightly browned. Then mix the meat and vegetables together and season with salt and pepper to taste.

11. Step 11:

    

    Add the tomatoes to the skillet, stir, and simmer for about 5 more minutes.

12. Step 12:

    

    Add the tomato paste and 250 ml of hot water to the fried vegetables and meat. I don't recommend cold water — it lowers the overall temperature and makes the dish take longer to cook. The amount of tomato paste determines how rich the gravy is. You can use tomato sauce or ketchup instead. Simmer the gravy for 30 minutes over low heat.

13. Step 13:

    

    Transfer the contents of the skillet to a pot, add the potatoes, and stir.

14. Step 14:

    

    Pour filtered water into the pot, adjusting it to the thickness you want. I added a liter of water and got a fairly thick soup. Use less water for a thicker gravy. Bring it to a boil and simmer for another 30 minutes over low heat. Cover the pot, but not all the way, so steam can escape.

15. Step 15:

    

    Meanwhile, cook the lagman noodles. Pour 2 liters of filtered water into a separate pot and add a tablespoon of sunflower oil — this keeps the noodles from sticking together. Bring the water to a boil and salt it. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes, until just shy of done. Go by how soft the noodles are: they shouldn't be hard, but not fully soft either. Drain the noodles in a colander or sieve.

16. Step 16:

    

    To serve, put the noodles in a deep bowl and ladle the gravy with vegetables and meat over them. If the noodles have cooled, rinse them with boiling water. Sprinkle generously with fragrant herbs on top and serve. Enjoy!