(written up for my mom, shared for the hell of it)
Yakisoba (fried soba)
Ingredients:
pork or beef - 1/4 pound, thin sliced
fresh cabbage - one quarter, sliced
fresh yakisoba noodles (ideally), though cooked spagetti or cooked ramen noodles will do in a pinch (enough for one or two servings)
cooking oil (enough to lightly coat the pan)
yakisoba sauce (available at large asian groceries or online Otafuku Yakisoba Sauce)
furikake (available at large asian groceries or online Hanabishi Aonori Powdered Seaweed (Aonori Ko))
optional: bean sprouts
thin-sliced carrots
thin-sliced green pepper
http://www.aragami.org/temp/yaki1.jpg
Once all of your ingredients have been prepared, coat a frying pan with some oil. Don't use too much or your noodles will come out greasy: use just enough to cover the bottom of the pan when spread with a spatula. Heat the pan until the oil begins to sizzle then add the meat and vegetable ingredients. Meat should be placed over the area with the most concentrated heat, vegetables can be lightly fried around the edges.
http://www.aragami.org/temp/yaki2.jpg
Once the meat is completely browned and the vegetables are cooked, push the cooked ingredients to the center and arrange the noodles around the outside: (if you're using ramen noodles or yakisoba noodles) the heat and light oil will loosen any still close-packed noodles).
http://www.aragami.org/temp/yaki4.jpg
When the noodles have come apart, stir all of the ingredients together and add Yakisoba sauce to taste. You should add at least enough to turn everything brown when mixed together... beyond that, it's totally up to you and how dry or wet you'd like your noodles.
http://www.aragami.org/temp/yaki5.jpg
mix the noodles while cooking them over a low flame for 1 or 2 minutes.
http://www.aragami.org/temp/yaki6.jpg
add furikake (seaweed flakes) to the top of your masterpiece... Those who HATE seaweed can forego this step entirely.
http://www.aragami.org/temp/yaki7.jpg
enjoy!
