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4 Noodle Dishes for Lunar New Year

Joan Hanson | February 8, 2021

Food

Ring in the new year with rich, regional Asian flavors

This year the Lunar New Year will start on February 12, as the Year of the Ox. It’s traditional to celebrate by serving long noodles, symbolizing a long life. Here are four delicious noodle dishes to make for an incredible Lunar New Year dinner.

Recipes

Our pork lo mein recipe is savory, slightly spicy, and packed with flavor. Made with thick and chewy lo mein noodles, fresh veggies and stir-fried pork tenderloin, it’s a dish that’s easy to make in only 30 minutes!

Pork Lo Mein

  • Hands-On Time

    10 minutes
  • Total Time

    30 minutes
  • Serves

    6
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 (16-ounce) package HORMEL® ALWAYS TENDER® Original Pork Tenderloin, cut into bite-sized strips
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups chopped napa cabbage
  • 2 medium carrots, julienned
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 1 pound wide lo mein noodles, cooked and drained
  • 2 tablespoons HOUSE OF TSANG® ginger flavored soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon HOUSE OF TSANG® sesame oil
  • 2 green onions, julienned
  • Additional green onion and cilantro for garnish, if desired

Instructions

In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add half the pork and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until browned. Remove with slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining pork.

In same skillet, add remaining vegetable oil. Add garlic. Stir-fry 10 seconds. Add cabbage and carrots. Stir-fry 1 minute. Add wine. Stir-fry 10 seconds.

Add noodles and reserved pork back to skillet. If the noodles aren’t coming apart, add ¼ cup water to loosen them.

Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Add green onions. Stir-fry 1 minute and serve. Garnish with additional green onion and cilantro, if desired.

Dan Dan noodles were named for the carrying pole that street vendors used to carry baskets of noodles and sauce. While sometimes served as a soup in China, American versions are usually more saucy than soupy, and often include sesame paste, as in our recipe for Dan Dan Noodles.

Dan Dan Noodles

  • Hands-On Time

    20 minutes
  • Total Time

    45 minutes
  • Serves

    6
  • Noodle Sauce
  • 1/3 cup Chinese sesame paste
  • 1/3 cup HOUSE OF TSANG® ginger flavored soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup Chinkiang vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 green onions, minced
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns , toasted and ground
  • Turkey Topping
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 (16-ounce) package JENNIE-O® Ground Turkey
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons black bean garlic sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Sui Mi Ya Cai (Sichuan preserved mustard greens)
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • To serve
  • Chili oil, to taste
  • 1 pound Dan Dan noodles (or thin wheat noodles), cooked and drained
  • 3 bunches baby bok choy, trimmed and blanched
  • 1/3 cup chopped peanuts
  • 1/3 cup chopped green onions

Instructions

In small bowl, whisk together Noodle Sauce ingredients.

In large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add ground turkey to hot skillet. Cook 14 to 16 minutes, stirring to crumble. Always cook to well-done, 165°F as measured by a meat thermometer. Add ginger, green onion, black bean garlic sauce, Sui Mi Ya Cai, wine and sugar. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced.

To assemble the noodle bowls, divide Noodle Sauce among bowls. Add chili oil to taste. Top with noodles, turkey mixture and bok choy. Garnish with peanuts and green onion.

This peanutty dish is super-simple to make and comes together in just 30 minutes. The Chinese noodles are deliciously savory and chewy, with a bit of heat.

Sesame Peanut Noodles

  • Hands-On Time

    10 minutes
  • Total Time

    30 minutes
  • Serves

    4
  • 2 tablespoons HOUSE OF TSANG® sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Chinese rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons SKIPPY® creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons chile-garlic paste
  • 1 pound fresh Chinese noodles, cooked and drained
  • 1/2 cup julienned cucumber
  • 1/2 cup julienned red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup julienned snap peas
  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
  • Fresh cilantro leaves, if desired

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chili-garlic paste. Pour sauce over noodles and toss. Transfer to serving bowls. Garnish with cucumber, red bell pepper, snap pea, peanuts, and cilantro.

Enjoy this popular restaurant favorite at home, made even better with SPAM® Less Sodium and rice noodles!

SPAM® Black Bean Ho Fun

  • Hands-On Time

    15 minutes
  • Total Time

    30 minutes
  • Serves

    4
  • 3 teaspoons oil, divided
  • 1/2 (12-ounce) can SPAM® Less Sodium, cut into small dice
  • 1 small bunch Chinese chives or 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 red Fresno chile, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 red Thai bird chile, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon black bean garlic sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon watertablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 pound fresh flat wide rice noodles
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Instructions

In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 teaspoon oil. Add SPAM® Less Sodium. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Add chives. Stir-fry 1 minute. Remove from skillet with slotted spoon.

In same skillet, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Stir-fry ginger, garlic, Fresno chiles and bird chiles 2 minutes or until softened. Add black bean garlic sauce and wine. Add mushrooms. Stir-fry 1 minute or until softened. Add broth, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Bring to simmer. Whisk in cornstarch mixture. Cook 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in noodles. Cook 2 minutes, tossing gently, until sauce is thick and noodles are hot. Stir in cilantro.

Transfer to serving bowl. Top with SPAM® Less Sodium and chive mixture.

News
In Korea, Lunar New Year Isn’t Complete Without a Can of SPAM
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