Charsiu Pork Soba and vegetable stirfry

I discovered something. I never knew I loved grilled onion leeks. They're sweet, tangy and smoky. And being Asian, it's one of those vegetables that is always present in our fridge. And since I am always looking for ways to concoct something out of what I have on hand, I decided to make it more Asian and make Charsiu pork (Chinese pork barbecue) for protein,throw in noodles for carbs and vegetables for fiber. So this recipe happened.

I first tasted authentic Char sui pork when i visited Singapore's colorful Chinatown 2 years ago and it was divine. It was red, sweet, smoky, tender and just beyond words. 2 years later, I figured maybe I can replicate it now that I have a pantry full of Asian (among other cuisine's) spices, herbs and sauces. And so i did.

I adapted the recipe for Char siu marinade from Kirbie and then made the rest of the recipe based on what vegetables I have in the fridge. 

Char Sui Pork Soba and vegetable Stirfry

Char Sui Pork:
2 pork chops marinated (1 hour min, 24 hours max) with a mixture of:
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp 5-spice powder
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce

*Reserve the marinade. This will be the sauce for the noodles.

Soba stirfry:
200 grams buckwheat or egg noodles, cooked in boiling water until al dente
2-3 onion leeks, brushed with char sui marinade and grilled then chopped into 1 inch long pieces
1 clove of garlic chopped
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp 5-spice powder
canned button or shitake mushrooms, drained
1 small carrot, julienned
1 bell pepper, julienned
1/4 cup sliced green beans
1 cup cabbage, chopped thinly
1 cup spinach, blanched (optional)
toasted sesame seeds
chili flakes to taste
salt and pepper to taste

1) Grill marinated pork chops until done about 4 minutes per side depending on thickness.  Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

2) Saute garlic, chili flakes and grated ginger in about 1 tbsp of oil. Add in carrots, green beans and canned mushrooms. Cook until carrots are tender but still firm.

3) Stir in cabbage and sliced grilled onion leeks. Pour in reserved marinade. Add about 2 tbsp of water and salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for about 2 minutes and toss in cooked noodles and blanched spinach and cook for 2 more minutes. Turn off heat and serve with sliced char sui pork. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.