Zha Jiang Mian

Ingredients

• 8 oz (225g) pork belly, finely diced
• 3 tbsp fermented yellow soybean paste
• 1 tbsp sweet bean sauce (or hoisin sauce)
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 scallions, whites minced, greens sliced for garnish
• 1 cup water
• 1 lb (450g) thick fresh wheat noodles
• 1 cucumber, julienned
• 1 cup bean sprouts, blanched

Before you cook

• Finely dice the pork belly.
• Mince the ginger, garlic, and scallion whites.
• Julienne the cucumber and slice the scallion greens for garnish.
• Whisk the soybean paste, sweet bean sauce, and Shaoxing wine together in a small bowl.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat.
2. Add the diced pork belly and cook for 5 minutes until the fat renders and it browns lightly.
3. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallion whites and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the soybean paste mixture to the wok.
5. Fry the paste with the pork for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the oil separates out.
6. Pour in the water and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to a loose gravy.
7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
8. Cook the noodles according to the package directions, then drain.
9. Divide the noodles among bowls.
10. Top each bowl with a generous spoonful of the pork sauce.
11. Arrange the julienned cucumber and bean sprouts over the top.
12. Toss everything together at the table before eating, and garnish with the sliced scallion greens.