Tomato Meat Sauce Noodles

Score 500 g tomatoes, scald with boiling water for about 60 seconds, cool, peel and dice into 1 cm pieces. Mince 3 garlic cloves and 2 thin ginger slices. Slice 2 spring onions, keeping whites and greens separate. Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 15 ml cold water. Mix 100 ml water with 1 tbsp light soy, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp ketchup and 1 tsp sugar. Measure 200 g dried noodles and 200 g ground pork. Heat 2000 ml water in a separate pot.

Heat 15 ml oil in the wok over medium-high heat. Break up all the pork and cook for about 3–4 minutes until no raw pink remains, moisture has reduced and some edges are golden. Reduce to medium heat. Add all scallion whites, ginger and garlic; stir for 20–30 seconds until fragrant without scorching the garlic.

Add all diced tomatoes. Stir over medium heat for about 4–5 minutes, pressing gently until softened and releasing red juices. The pork should be evenly distributed. Continue softening any firm tomato pieces before adding the sauce.

Pour in all the seasoning mixture from Step 1. Bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered over low heat for about 3–5 minutes, stirring the bottom occasionally. Re-stir and add all the slurry while stirring. Simmer for 30–60 seconds until glossy and lightly coating the spatula but still flowing slowly. Keep warm over very low heat; stop reducing once it thickens.

Add 200 g dried noodles to the pot of 2000 ml boiling water. Separate gently and cook for the pack timing. Check a strand for a flexible texture with no hard floury center. Lift out and drain well; do not add extra salt.

Add all drained noodles to the sauce. Toss gently with chopsticks over medium-low heat for 30–60 seconds until evenly coated. Fold in all scallion greens and turn off the heat. Leave a little fluid sauce; do not fry the noodles dry.

Divide the coated noodles and sauce equally between two bowls. Gently slide the cooked noodles from a deep serving ladle, letting the falling strands join the noodles in each bowl. Divide the remaining sauce and serve immediately.