Sizzling Pork Noodles

from book "Help! My apartment has a chicken"

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  medium onion
• 2  garlic cloves
• 1  lb  ground lean pork
• 1⁄2 cup chili sauce (or 7 T ketchup and 1 T horseradish)
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 3  tablespoons soy sauce
• 1  tablespoon vinegar (any kind)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 12  ounces  vermicelli
• 1⁄2 large cucumber
• 2  scallions

Directions

1. Cover a large pot of water and begin heating it over high heat. While you are waiting for it to boil, make the sauce.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic and set aside. Without using oil, brown the pork in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring frequently to break the meat into small clumps. This process takes about 10 minutes. After the meat has browned, drain any fat into a n empty can. Throw away the can.
3. Add the onion, garlic, chili sauce, water, soy sauce, vinegar and black pepper and stir. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Turn off the heat and cover to keep hot.
4. Once the sauce is cooking, add the vermicelli and cook according to package directions. Stir every minute or two to keep noodles from sticking together. When noodles are finished cooking, drain.
5. While the noodles are cooking, peel the cucumber and cut into ¼ inch cubes. Wash the scallions. Cut off the root tips and top 2 inches of green ends and discard them. Cut the remaining pieces into ¼” pieces. Set aside.
6. Put noodles on a large platter, Pour the pork sauce over top and sprinkle with the cucumber and the scallion pieces and serve.