1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Unwrap the instant noodles (reserve the seasoning packets) and break noodle blocks into quarters as you add them to the pot. Cook, stirring, just long enough for them to soften and loosen, about 1 minute. Drain noodles immediately, shaking off as much of the water as you can.

2. In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the pork and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in soy sauce or fish sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Add onions, Chinese broccoli, and carrots; cook until the vegetables brighten in color, about 2 minutes. Add the drained noodles and wedges of tomato. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the noodles have absorbed some of the sauce, about 3 minutes. Stir in bean sprouts and scallions; remove from heat. Season with a pinch of white pepper and reserved seasoning packets (use as much as you like). Garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Tips

"The one instant noodle brand everyone knows in Thailand is Mama," Pepper says. "It's like the Thai version of Japanese Top Ramen. I've made this recipe with all kinds of instant noodles, but for the classic Thai taste, get the Mama brand instant noodles at any Asian market."

Excerpted from The Pepper Thai Cookbook.