Stir-Fry Soba Noodles With Pork & Vegetables

Noodles symbolize long life. This Chinese belief has crept its way to the Philippine birthday traditions that makes the presence of noodles almost obligatory, like having a cake with candles to blow. Imagine a birthday celebration without any noodles to symbolize this. Imagine how bad I felt when I realized that I cooked one of the shortest pasta that exists, on my husband and son's birthday celebration yesterday.

I cooked the Fregula con Arselle, that Sardinian pasta that looks like couscous (the entire contrary of what I should have cooked!). Not that I am a major conformist but sometimes, I just want to go with the flow if it's not too much. 

There is no traditional Italian birthday food that I know of but we always make sure that there is a cake with candles and a bottle of champagne to give our auguri (wishes) to the celebrant. Kids have their own non-alcoholic flavored versions among which I like strawberry. Yes, I had to learn to drink it too for my kids! 

Growing up, I remember my mother making sure my siblings and I had the two essential things when our birthdays arrive. A cake with candles and spaghetti or pancit (a kind of noodle dish). And well, a picture of us blowing the cake every single year. It was always a struggle for my Mom to keep us steady and smiling in the picture. Later on, after so many years, I realized how beautiful it is to look back with the pictures she patiently took and filed in our albums. Last night, I scanned my son's previous birthday pictures and realized how much he has grown and changed. And one very special thing - from his 4th birthday, his two best friends are always beside him in his pictures. It's beautiful to see the three of them growing up together. I wish to continue photographing them for more and more birthdays together.

Cakes by Dolcemente in Rome. Passionfruit mango cake and Chocolate hazelnut cake.

Here is a delicious and versatile noodle dish that is so easy to prepare. Put whatever vegetables you have available and substitute the pork with chicken or beef. You will still have a great dish celebrating the tastes of Asia.

Let's start by checking out my recipe at She Knows. It's a site where I create recipes other than my blog. Click on this link to learn how to make it. In this link, you will find a list of my food & travel articles at She Knows. 

Thanks and have a great week!