Shredded pork with stir-fried noodles

1/2 pound dried Chinese noodles, thin spaghetti, or linguini
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
1/2 pound lean pork or beef, shredded (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup dried black mushrooms, softened in hot water for 15 minutes
2 tablespoons canola, corn, or peanut oil
1 slice unpeeled gingerroot, 1 X 1/8 inch thick
2 cups shredded napa, Chinese celery cabbage, or bok choy
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

Cook the noodles in a large amount of boiling water until a little more tender than al dente. Drain, rinse in cold water, and toss with the sesame seed oil to keep them from sticking together. Set aside. Place the pork in a bowl and add the soy sauce, cornstarch, sherry, and sugar. Stir together well. Set aside. Drain the softened mushrooms, reserving 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve. Set aside. Snip off the stems of the mushrooms with scissors and discard. Cut the caps into thin shreds. Set aside. Pour the oil into a wok or stir-fry pan and place it over high heat. Add the gingerroot and stir around the pan until the oil is hot but not smoking. Stir up the pork again and add it to the pan. Stir for about 2 minutes, or until there is no pink left in the meat. Add the cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, and scallions. Stir for about 2-3 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Add the reserved mushroom liquid and stir a few times to mix. Add the noodles and stir thoroughly until they are heated through. Stir in the dark soy sauce until the noodles are evenly colored. Turn out onto a large serving platter. Serve immediately. Helen says that their family sometimes would add vinegar or even ketchup to the individual servings.