• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Missing Lokness

Easy Everyday Recipes

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • So-Cal Travel Guide
  • Privacy Policy

Yakisoba with Pork Belly

September 7, 2017 By Lokness 5 Comments

Yakisoba with Pork Belly is Japanese stir-fry noodles. It’s like Chinese chow mein but with a more complex flavors. Sweet, salty and tangy. Great for dinner or lunch boxes! 

I love Japanese food! And you probably know it too from all my Japanese recipes (like miso beef onigiri, Japanese egg salad sandwiches, and shabu shabu)! You may think wonder I am obsessed with Japanese cuisine when I am from Hong Kong.

Growing up, I wasn’t allowed to watch much television. The only things I can watch were animated cartoons. Since my mom usually didn’t get home until 6pm, I would glue to the television after school and watched all kinds of cartoons. 90% of the shows in Hong Kong were from Japan and then translated to Cantonese. Some of my favorites are Doraemon (多啦A夢), Chibi Maruko-chan (櫻桃小丸子), Sailor Moon (美少女戰士), Nintama Rantarō (忍者亂太郎), and Tonde Burin (飛天少女豬事丁). I didn’t stop watching cartoons until 16 years old (when I come to the States), so I have watched hundreds of cartoons that I can barely remember a few. In most of the cartoons, there are always tons of food scenes. Either it’s the dorayaki (red bean pancake sandwich) in Doraemon or yakimochi (grilled rice cake) in Chibi Maruko-chan, I was always drooling over the television screen. That sparked my interest in Japanese food.

In addition, Japanese food is very popular in Hong Kong. Sushi restaurants are everywhere, even back in the 90’s. They were not expensive either. Yoshoku (Japanese western food) is very common too. My mom used to take us to Pokka Cafe, where we can get Japanese curry, omurice (rice omelette), tonkatsu (fried pork chop), ice cream parfait and many more. Although those food may not be 100% authentic, we were very familiar with the flavors of Japanese cuisine at young age. Japanese food is not weird and exotic. It is just part of what we eat.

In Japanese food, there is a wide range of options. Other than the most well known sushi and ramen, there are teppanyaki (food cooked on iron skillet), yoshoku (Japanese western food), curry, tempura (battered fried food), yakitori (skewer food), soba (buckwheat noodles) and many more. Most of them are very affordable. Yakisoba is one of the classic food stall eats. It’s a stir fry noodles with meat and vegetable. It is almost like Chinese chow mein. But the biggest difference is the sauce. Yakisoba sauce is a mix of ketchup, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and Worcestershire sauce. It’s a bit sweet, salty and tangy. The flavors are much more complex than a chow mein. It’s hearty and savory!

The secret to a good yakisoba is chewy noodles. No one want a soggy yakisoba. Cook the noodles at the very last minute. Also make sure once the noodles are separated and have been cooked for an extra minute, remove and drain. Add them to the meat and vegetables. The noodles should remain chewy after a few more toss in the griddle.

If you a noodle lover, this is a must for you! Flavorful dinner meal! They are great in lunch boxes too!

Print Pin
5 from 2 votes

Yakisoba with Pork Belly

Course Dinner
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword japanese, mushroom, noodles, pork belly, yakisoba
Servings 3 servings
Author Lokness

Ingredients

  • ¾ pound thinly sliced pork belly (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • ½ onion (thinly sliced)
  • 1 carrot (peeled and cut into 1/8-inch strips)
  • 4 cabbage leaves (cut into ¼-inch strips)
  • 2 green onions (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms (cut into ¼-inch strips)
  • 1 (16 – 17 ounces) package Yakisoba noodles
  • vegetable oil
  • ground black pepper
  • Aonori (dried seaweed powder) (optional topping)
  • Pickled red ginger (optional topping)

Yakisoba Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
  • Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and keep it at a simmer.
  • In a large flat griddle over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and grease the griddle. Cook the pork belly until no longer pink. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion. Cook for 2 minutes. Add carrot and cabbage. Cook until almost tender, about 3 – 4 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, add noodles in the simmering water. With a pair of chopsticks or tongs, separate the noodles as quick as possible without breaking them. Drain and set aside.
  • Toss in green onion and mushroom. Cook for another minute. Season with ground black pepper. Add the cooked noodles. Combine the noodles with the vegetables.
  • Turn the heat down to medium-low, add 2/3 of the yakisoba sauce to the noodles. Mix well. Taste and adjust with more sauce according to your own taste. Transfer to serving plates. Sprinkle with seaweed powder and top with pickled red ginger if using. Serve immediately.

Notes

  1. My griddle is a 2-burner griddle. I almost can't fit everything on it. If you don’t have anything like that, you may want to do it in a wok or even in 2 large skillets. You want a large surface, so everything can be heat evenly.
  2. Yakisoba noodles can be found in Japanese grocery store at the fridge isle. Many yakisoba noodle package comes with yakisoba sauce or powder. You can use those instead of making your own, but homemade is always better!
  3. Oyster sauce is a common Asian condiment. It is made from oyster extract. It may sound weird, but it doesn’t taste fishy. It is a thick sauce that is sweet and salty. You can find it in most Asian supermarkets or from Amazon.
  4. If you don’t like pork belly, you can substitute with other meat, like beef.
  5. When cooking the pork belly, there could be lots of fat coming out. If you don’t like the end result to be too greasy. You can soak up some of the oil with paper towels.
  6. I really like the seaweed powder and pickled ginger with the noodles. They do add more flavors to the dish. Both can be bought from Japanese supermarkets.
(Adapted from Just One Cookbook)

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Filed Under: Cook, Pasta/Noodle, Pork Tagged With: asian, cabbage, japanese, mushroom, noodles, pork, pork belly, stir-fry

Previous Post: « Mojo Shrimp
Next Post: Kabocha Squash and Bacon Mulitas »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nami | Just One Cookbook says

    September 11, 2017 at 11:44 am

    5 stars
    I enjoyed reading your story about your childhood. My daughter started to watch Chibi Marukochan (thanks to Netflix in Japan!) and she loves it so much. I didn’t know 90% of the shows were from Japan. It’s very interesting! Your Yakisoba looks really delicious! I can eat this noodle every week. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lokness says

      September 14, 2017 at 1:19 pm

      Thank you very much Nami! Your recipe is perfect! By the way, I don’t know why most of the animated cartoons are from Japan, but I’m so glad they are! Awww, that is so cute that your daughter is watching Chibi Marukochan. It’s great that you get to share your childhood with her in that way. I wish Netflix in US can get a few of those cartoon shows (not the fighting kind). They are always light and fun! Good for all ages!

      Reply
  2. Katrina Guernick says

    April 18, 2019 at 10:12 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! Really easy to make, requires no advanced marinating of pork belly, unlike many other recipes. My husband was in love after the first bite. We used enoki mushrooms from our favorite local Asian market instead of the shiitakes but I’m sure that would have been great too. Will definitely be making this again soon. Thanks for sharing with the world!

    Reply
    • Lokness says

      April 18, 2019 at 11:17 am

      Thank you so much for telling how the dish turned out! I’m so happy to hear you guys enjoyed this dish. You made my day! Enoki is a great substitute. You reminded me that I should make this again soon! ? Have a great day!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Yakisoba with Pork Belly - Yum Goggle says:
    September 13, 2017 at 11:51 am

    […] GET THE RECIPE […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hello there!

Welcome! I'm Lokness. Currently live in Los Angles. Grew up in Hong Kong. Obsessed with chocolate & ice cream. Cooking is something I love. This is where I share my stories and recipes. Want to know more? Click here.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Popular Posts

  • Hong Kong Style Borscht Soup #soup #hongkongfood #vegetables #beefbone #borschtsoup | The Missing Lokness Hong Kong Style Borscht Soup
  • Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding (From Scratch) Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding (From Scratch) #magnoliabakery #copycatrecipe #banana #pudding #bananapudding #partyfood #nilawafer #dessert #dessertrecipe | The Missing Lokness Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding (From Scratch)
  • Easy Sushi Bake #sushibake #hawaiianrecipe #imitationcrab #avocado #easyrecipe #furikake #seaweed #dinner #dinnerrecipe #appetizer | The Missing Lokness Easy Sushi Bake
  • Purin (Japanese Caramel Custard Pudding)
  • Mendocino Farms Curried Couscous with Roasted Cauliflower #sidedish #pastasalad #couscous #curry | The Missing Lokness Mendocino Farms Curried Couscous with Roasted Cauliflower

missinglokness

🍩 Recipe Developer & Food Lover (I cook & eat around the city!) 🐹 Animals Lover 🏠 Los Angeles🌴(From HK 🇭🇰)

Happy Year of the Rabbit (& Cat)!🐰🐱 May this Happy Year of the Rabbit (& Cat)!🐰🐱 May this new year brings you good fortune, happiness & prosperity. Gong Hei Fat Choy! 
恭喜發財! 龍馬精神! 好事連連! 萬事如意!

The food in the picture is sweet glutinous rice dumplings w/ black sesame 落湯糍(糯米糍). The word “糍” sounds similar to “錢”, so the dumplings represent money. Eating them will bring you lots of wealth! 

The dumplings are chewy & gooey like mochi. Coated in black sesame seeds. Right before eating, dip them in sugar. Perfect sweet treat for the new year! 

Recipe link in profile ⬆️ #ontheblog #TheMissingLokness

https://www.themissinglokness.com/2013/02/13/sweet-glutinous-rice-dumplings-with-black-sesame/
We just can’t get enough of @somisomiicecream! T We just can’t get enough of @somisomiicecream! Their soft serve is creamy, yet not too sweet. Lots of choices too, like ube, matcha, black sesame etc. The taiyaki is crispy on the outside & filled w/ goodness, like Nutella, red bean & custard. My only wish is that they open a store in the San Gabriel Valley, so we don’t have to travel far every time!😆

🌟 Somi Somi (Many locations in CA)
📍 9828 Garden Grove Blvd #105, Garden Grove, CA 92844
2022 is coming to an end! It has been a much bette 2022 is coming to an end! It has been a much better year for me personally. We traveled a bit more (Denver, Monterey, Maine, & Boston) & ate lots of incredible food. I’m drooling just thinking about some of the food. Also, my parents flew in from HK. We finally got to see each other after 3 years. We spent time together & attended my sister’s wedding. And we all finally got covid. It’s looking like things are getting back to normal. I truly hope it is! 

For the blog, although I didn’t post many recipes this year, they’re recipes that I would use again & again. For the Top 6 recipes of 2022, swipe to see what recipes they are! ➡️ The bonus last picture is my favorite pick of the year! 

I can’t wait until 2023, because we’ll be heading to the UK very soon! 

Happy 2023! 

For top 6 ranking & direct links of recipes, visit my blog.⬆️ #linkinprofile #TheMissingLokness 

https://www.themissinglokness.com/2022/12/30/2022-top-6-recipes/
When it’s cold outside, this Tapioca Pearls w/ T When it’s cold outside, this Tapioca Pearls w/ Taro 芋頭西米露 is the dessert I crave! It’s hot, sweet, & earthy. It’s a very classic Cantonese dessert that you can always find in Chinese restaurants. 

This is the last recipe of 2022 from me. Happy New Year! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the loves & supports! ❤️❤️❤️

Recipe link in profile ⬆️ #ontheblog #TheMissingLokness

https://www.themissinglokness.com/2022/12/27/tapioca-pearls-with-taro/
Happy Holidays! Wish you all a warm & joyful time. Happy Holidays! Wish you all a warm & joyful time. We already had a slice or two of the Christmas cake (@parisbaguette_usa)! 😊🎄
Galbi mandu (dumpling) from Chang Hwa Dang (CHD) a Galbi mandu (dumpling) from Chang Hwa Dang (CHD) are so damn GOOD! 🥟 Smokey, little sweet, meaty, & crispy skin. I could eat a few plates of those! We first tried the sampler, but was most impressed by the galbi ones. We like the pork too, but the jalapeño one was way too spicy for my taste. It actually has half of a jalapeño in it.🔥

🌟 Chang Hwa Dang (CHD)
📍 3377 Wilshire Blvd Ste 104 Los Angeles, CA 90010
❣️ Galbi mandu, pork mandu
Got the treats ready for Santa! Lemon cookies, str Got the treats ready for Santa! Lemon cookies, strawberry marshmallows, chocolate marshmallows & of course chocolate chip cookies. All of my favorites! Making all these treat took me a few days, but hearing everyone enjoyed them is all that matters. 

// What are you baking this year? //

Recipe links in profile ⬆️ #TheMissingLokness
Getting into the holiday season w/ a festive cockt Getting into the holiday season w/ a festive cocktail, Fresh Cranberry Gin & Tonic! Elevate the classic w/ sweet & tart cranberries. I get drunk easily, so this cocktail is heavy on flavors & not too boozy. In other words, you can have a few of these!😜 

Recipe link in profile ⬆️ #ontheblog #TheMissingLokness

https://www.themissinglokness.com/2022/12/01/fresh-cranberry-gin-and-tonic/
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · The Missing Lokness · Privacy Policy

 

Loading Comments...