Yakisoba-Pan

Ingredients

• 4 soft hot-dog-style buns (koppepan if available)
• 2 tbsp softened butter, for toasting the buns
• 400g fresh yakisoba noodles (chukamen)
• 200g thinly sliced pork belly, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Japanese mayonnaise, for topping
• Beni shoga (pickled red ginger), for topping
• Aonori (dried green seaweed flakes), for topping

Before you cook

• Cut the pork belly into 1-inch pieces
• Shred the cabbage, julienne the carrot, and thinly slice the onion
• Loosen the fresh yakisoba noodles by gently pulling the strands apart with your fingers
• Whisk the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar together in a small bowl to make the yakisoba sauce

Steps

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat
2. Add the pork belly pieces in a single layer
3. Cook the pork for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and mostly cooked through
4. Push the pork to one side of the pan and pour the remaining tablespoon of oil onto the empty side
5. Add the onion and carrot to the empty side and stir-fry for 1 minute
6. Add the cabbage and stir-fry everything together for 2 minutes until the cabbage is just wilted but still has some crunch
7. Season the pork and vegetables with a pinch of salt and pepper
8. Pile the loosened noodles on top of the pork and vegetables
9. Pour 2 tablespoons of water over the noodles to help steam them loose
10. Use tongs to toss and separate the noodles with the pork and vegetables for 1 minute
11. Pour the yakisoba sauce over the noodles
12. Toss continuously for 2 minutes until every strand of noodle is coated and glossy, then remove the pan from the heat
13. Wipe out a separate skillet and set it over medium heat
14. Butter the cut sides of each bun and toast them in the dry skillet for 1 minute per side until golden
15. Open each toasted bun and stuff it with a mounded portion of the yakisoba noodles so they poke out the top
16. Drizzle Japanese mayonnaise over the noodles in each bun
17. Top each sandwich with a few strands of beni shoga and a pinch of aonori
18. Serve right away while the noodles are hot and the bun is still soft