Beijing Style Meat Sauce Noodles Zha Jiang Mian Food

BEIJING-STYLE MEAT SAUCE & NOODLES (ZHA JIANG MIAN)

Steps:

• Toss pork, 2 teaspoons water and baking soda in bowl until thoroughly combined. Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk 1/2 cup water, miso paste, soy sauce, hoisin and molasses together in second bowl.
• Pulse white and light green scallion parts, garlic and ginger in food processor until coarsely chopped, 5 to 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add mushrooms and pulse until mixture is finely chopped, 5 to 10 pulses.
• Heat oil and pork mixture in large saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute, breaking up meat with wooden spoon. Add mushroom mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is dry and just begins to stick to saucepan, 5 to 7 minutes. Add miso mixture to saucepan and bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Cover and keep warm while noodles cook.
• Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add noodles and cook, stirring often, until almost tender (center should still be firm with slightly opaque dot), 3 to 5 minutes. Drain noodles and transfer to wide, shallow serving bowl.
• Ladle sauce over center of noodles and sprinkle with cucumber, sprouts and dark green scallion parts. Toss well and serve.

BEIJING "FRIED SAUCE" NOODLES - ZHA JIANG MIAN

Steps:

• Marinate the pork with the following for 15 minutes: ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon white pepper.
• Heat a tablespoon oil in your wok over medium heat and add the pork fat (if using). Cook for 1 minute to render the fat down, and add the marinated ground pork to the wok. Cook for a minute to brown it, and then add the ginger, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir fry everything together for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add the sweet bean sauce, ground bean sauce, dark soy sauce, and water, stirring everything together well. Lower the heat and cover the wok. Simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
• While that's happening, cook the noodles according to the package directions. Mix with the sauce and toss with the julienned carrots, cucumbers, and scallions. This amount of sauce should be good for 4 servings.

ZA JIANG MEIN (BEIJING-STYLE MEAT SAUCE WITH NOODLES)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in the wok. When the oil is ready, add the garlic and then the pork. Fry briefly.
• Blend the bean sauce with the beer.
• Add the mixed sauce, sprinkle the sugar into the wok and cook, stir until the sauce is piping hot (about 10 mins).
• Turn off the heat and start to boil the noodles, 1 min and remove.
• Drain the noodles thoroughly and place into a bowl.
• Spoon over the sauce. Garnish with the scallions, bean sprouts and cucumber shreds generously.