Zha Jiang Mian (Noodles with Soybean Paste)
A classic Beijing noodle dish featuring savory fried soybean paste, crisp vegetables, and chewy noodles – an irresistible combination.
Ingredients
10 items- Pork belly 200g
- Cucumber 1/2
- Bean sprouts 50g
- Carrot 1/2
- Dried soybean paste (huang jiang) 3 tbsp
- Sweet bean paste (tian mian jiang) 2 tbsp
- Scallion 1 stalk
- Ginger 1 small piece
- Hand-pulled noodles 300g
- Cooking oil 2 tbsp
Nutrition
Steps （6 steps）
Cut pork belly into 0.5cm dices; shred cucumber and carrot; blanch bean sprouts; chop scallion and mince ginger.
In a small bowl, mix dried soybean paste and sweet bean paste with 3 tbsp water until smooth.
Heat oil in a wok over medium heat, stir-fry pork dices for 3-4 minutes until golden and oil renders.
Add scallion and ginger, stir; pour in the sauce, turn heat to low, cook for about 5 minutes stirring constantly until thick and oil separates.
Boil a pot of water, cook noodles for 3 minutes until no hard core, drain and rinse under cold water.
Divide noodles into bowls, top with 2 spoonfuls of sauce, arrange cucumber, bean sprouts, and carrot. Mix well before eating.
Tips
Always cook the sauce over low heat and stir constantly to prevent sticking; choose pork belly with alternating fat and lean for better flavor; rinsing noodles in cold water makes them springy.
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