Shanghai-Style Scallion Noodles with Ground Pork

The Shanghainese dish called cong you ban mian combines wheat noodles with fried scallions, the flavorful oil that results from frying them and salty, savory soy sauce. A lot of deep, bold flavor is wrested from a small handful of ingredients. Cutting the scallions into thin strips before cooking requires a little knifework but allows them to crisp evenly and quickly. And once fried, they integrate nicely with the noodles rather than fall to the bottom of the bowl. Ground pork makes our version hearty enough to serve as a main dish. Dried Asian wheat noodles about the size of thin spaghetti work well in this recipe; non-instant dried ramen is a good choice, as are thin lo mein noodles (don’t use wide, flat lo mein). A sprinkle of thinly sliced fresh chilies, though not traditional, balances the richness of the dish and adds a welcome kick of heat.