Quick Pork Noodle Soup

If you have leftover roast pork, chicken, turkey or even beef this is a lovely, quick and easy noodle soup recipe that is fragrant, warming and makes a welcome change from a traditional British leftover stew.

Using Asian flavours such as Chinese Five Spice, a smidge of Thai Green Curry Paste and plenty of chilli, ginger, garlic and coriander this is an utterly addictive recipe and once you've made it I'm sure it will become a leftover staple.

Quick Pork Noodle Soup

Serves two.

Here's how:

• Three slices of leftover roast pork
• 1 tbsp Chinese five spice
• 1 teaspoon green Thai curry paste
• 2 cloves garlic
• Bunch spring onions
• Two thumbnail sized pieces of ginger
• 1 and a half large red chillis
• 1 carrot
• 1 red pepper
• Handful mushrooms
• Handful bean shoots
• Some green leaves - I used cavello nero here but you can use cabbage, lettuce, greens - whatever you have in stock
• 1 lemon or lime
• 1 tin coconut milk
• 1 packet instant noodles
• Bunch of fresh coriander
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp Shaohsing wine

Firstly slice the pork into bite-sized pieces and pop into a bowl with a drizzle of the sesame oil and the Chinese five spice. Use a spoon to toss the meat to absorb all the flavours and leave to one side whilst you prepare everything else.

Now crush the garlic, and finely slice the ginger and chill. Place the remaining sesame oil into a wok on a gentle heat and add the garlic, ginger and  half of the chilli to slowly soften and flavour the oil. 

Whilst these are softening in the wok, peel the carrot and very finely chop into matchsticks, slice the pepper, spring onions and mushrooms and shred the greens. 

By then the oil should be full of flavour - now add the marinaded pork including anything left in the bowl to the wok and allow to cook for several minutes until the pork becomes nicely gnarly from the five spice coating. Next add the carrots and pepper and allow to cook for a minute or so.

Now add the coconut milk which will make the basis for the soup, stir in the Thai curry paste and add the mushrooms, most of the bean shoots and greens. Add the soy and Shaohsing wine and squeeze in the juice of a whole lime and give a gentle stir. 

Now gently slice the coriander and remove the stalks - place the stalks into the wok with the soup. 

After the soup has simmered for four-five minutes add the instant noodles to the mix which should cook in three minutes. 

Whilst the noodles are cooking place the red chilli, the other half of lime and a bunch of fresh coriander onto a little plate as additional seasoning for the table and then dish up your soup into deep bowls. Enjoy!