Slow-cooked pork with Asian buckwheat noodles

Ingredients:

• 1.3 kg boneless pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 4 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 0.5 tbsp. dry sherry
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 5 cm ginger root, peeled and chopped
• 6 - 8 whole dried shiitake mushrooms
• 450 grams of soba or ramen noodles
• 1/4 cup water chestnuts, chopped
• 2 Fresno peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Preparation:

1. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat with vegetable oil. Add the pork and brown on all sides for 6-8 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate.
2. In a 5-quart slow cooker, combine the broth, soy sauce, sherry, sugar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, star anise, and cinnamon stick. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then add the garlic, ginger, and mushrooms. Add the pork, cover, and cook on high for 4 hours, low for 2 hours, or low for 6 hours.
3. Transfer the pork to a serving dish, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the broth, cut them in half, and then return them to the broth.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package directions. Shred the pork.
5. Divide the noodles among serving bowls, pour a little broth over them, top with mushrooms and a few slices of pork. Sprinkle with nuts, chili pepper, green onions, and cilantro.