Pork Chow Mein — The Kind of Cooking That Means September Will Be Okay

August. The month where teachers stop being fully on vacation and start thinking about classrooms and rosters and the particular anxiety of a new year, which is different from other kinds of anxiety in that it has a specific start date and is therefore finite. I have always loved August anxiety. It means something is coming. Something good, even when it is hard.

I have a new class this year. My kindergartners from last year have moved up, which means my current students are people I do not know yet, which means September is a room full of strangers who are going to become people I worry about. I have always loved this part. I love the moment before the year starts, when everyone is still possible.

Owen and Nora are learning object permanence, which means they now understand that things exist even when they cannot see them, and this means they have also learned that I still exist when I leave the room, and this means they are beginning to have strong feelings about me leaving the room, and this is both developmentally appropriate and a preview of every morning in September when I will have to hand them to Patty and leave for school. I am already emotionally preparing for this. I suspect no amount of emotional preparation will be sufficient.

I spent Saturday cooking with Patty. She came over while Ryan had the babies outside in the stroller, and we made four things: a pot of potato soup, a tray of stuffed peppers, a double batch of turkey meatballs, and a coconut milk chicken curry that I have been making for two years and which photographs beautifully and tastes like someone was kind to you. Everything went in labeled containers. Everything will be September's problem in the best possible way.

The curry and the meatballs were already Patty’s idea of comfort, but the chow mein is mine — something I come back to every August because it scales up without complaint, reheats on a Tuesday night like it was made an hour ago, and tastes like the kind of organized, on-top-of-it person I am trying to be before the school year reminds me that I am not. If you’re spending a Saturday cooking against the future, this is the recipe that earns its place in the labeled containers.

Pork Chow Mein

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb pork loin or pork tenderloin, thinly sliced against the grain
• 8 oz dried chow mein noodles (or fresh, if available)
• 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 cup celery, sliced on the diagonal
• 1/2 cup carrots, julienned
• 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 3 tbsp soy sauce, divided
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil, divided
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 green onions, sliced, for garnish
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Marinate the pork. In a bowl, toss the sliced pork with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil. Let sit for at least 10 minutes while you prep the vegetables.
2. Cook the noodles. Boil noodles according to package directions until just tender. Drain, rinse briefly with cold water, and toss with a drizzle of vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
3. Sear the pork. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the pork in a single layer and cook without stirring for 1—2 minutes, then stir-fry until just cooked through, about 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate.
4. Stir-fry the aromatics. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, for 1—2 minutes until fragrant and softened at the edges.
5. Add the vegetables. Add the celery, carrots, cabbage, and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 3—4 minutes until the cabbage is wilted but still has some bite. Season lightly with salt and white pepper.
6. Build the sauce. Return the pork to the pan. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, the oyster sauce, and the remaining sesame oil. Toss everything together over high heat for 1 minute.
7. Finish with noodles and sprouts. Add the cooked noodles and bean sprouts. Using tongs, toss everything together until the noodles are coated in sauce and heated through, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
8. Serve or store. Serve immediately topped with sliced green onions, or divide into labeled airtight containers. Refrigerates well for up to 4 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 375 | Protein: 27g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 41g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 810mg