[Recipe] Sotanghon Guisado (Glass noodles with mixed vegetables and minced pork)

Sotanghon guisado (sotanghon is a type of noodles that gets transparent when cooked and is also known as glass noodles, bean-thread noodles, or vermicelli, while guisado means to saute) is easy to make but is very flavorful. The trick is to have a good meat stock so that the noodles can absorb all the flavors. This version of the recipe is a quick and easy way of making sotanghon guisado that uses stock cubes, pre-chopped mixed vegetables, and minced meat for a faster cooking time but that's the good thing about this dish, it could be as simple or as complicated as you like it to be.

Here's an additional tip: add colorful vegetables to enhance the visual appeal of the dish. Try adding different colored capsicums, purple cabbage, and carrots. The vegetables should be cooked just enough to still have some crunch.

This is the first time that I will be adding approximated nutritional information on my recipe posts. This is based on the actual measurements I have used while preparing for the dish but you can use it as a ballpark figure when you make your own.

Sotanghon guisado (glass noodles) with minced pork and various vegetables.

Ingredients:
400 grams of assorted vegetables (typically carrots, cabbage, chayote, string beans, celery, parsley, bell pepper, young corn, mushrooms), cut into small pieces so that they will cook about the same time
300 grams minced pork
100 grams sotanghon (glass noodles), soaked in water
1 Tablespoon bagoong alamang (fermented shrimp paste)
1 whole bulb garlic, minced
1 medium sized onion, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons cooking oil
2 pcs pork stock cubes
Patis (fish sauce) to taste, optional

Directions:
Saute the onion and garlic in a wok with some vegetable oil (medium heat) until the garlic slightly browns and the onion caramelizes. Stir in the bagoong until it becomes fragrant. 

Add the minced pork and continue cooking until the meat has browned. Add in the vegetables, mix well and cover. Cook until the vegetables are cooked (depending on your desired doneness, I like my veggies to still have a bit of crunch). Note that some liquid will form from the vegetables. Add the pork broth cubes and dissolve well.

Add in the soaked glass noodles and stir well. It will absorb most of the liquids. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Serve while still hot and enjoy!

Good for 5 servings.

Nutritional information (per serving): based on 5 servings per recipe
(approximated based on the ingredients used at the time I made this and may vary depending on the actual ingredients you use if you make your own version of this dish)
Calories = 494
Fat = 26.8 grams
Cholesterol = 75.8 mg
Sodium = 1,122.2 mg
Potassium = 321.8 mg
Carbohydrates = 36.4 grams
Protein = 27.7 grams