Japanese fried noodles with minced meat

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g minced meat, mixed or beef
• 300 g noodles (soma or mie noodles or spaghetti)
• salt water
• 1 piece(s) ginger, fresh
• 2 garlic cloves, fresh
• 1 chili pepper(s), fresh
• 2 spring onions
• 50 ml soy sauce, Japanese
• 50 ml sake
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• some salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Peel and grate the ginger (this way you avoid tough fibers). Finely chop the garlic (fresher doesn’t leave such a strong smell, but it retains plenty of flavor) and the chili (I always deseed it). Set aside. Wash, trim, and finely slice the spring onions and set aside. Loosen the minced meat slightly in a bowl and spread 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of sake, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over the meat. Season with pepper, mix thoroughly, and let stand for 15 minutes. During this time, soak the soma noodles in salted water according to the instructions. Drain shortly before the end of the specified cooking time (reserve 3-4 tablespoons of the pasta water). Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Heat the rapeseed oil (or another neutral oil) in a wok or deep-sided pan. Briefly fry the ginger, chili, and garlic to allow the flavors to come through, then reduce the heat slightly and fry the minced meat. Spread the meat into fine crumbs. Taste some of the minced meat and add more soy sauce if needed. When the meat is crispy, add the remaining sake and let the alcohol evaporate. Then add the noodles and the pasta water, tossing everything (or tossing with tongs). Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Serve in a pretty bowl and sprinkle with the spring onions. The leftovers are delicious the next day in a bento box or reheated in the microwave.