Taiwanese Zhajiangmian

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Taiwanese Zhajiangmian

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the noodles
  • 200 g Chinese wheat noodles about 2 portions
  • 150 g ground pork or finely diced pork belly
  • 50 g firm tofu pressed dry and diced, used as a tofu-based stand-in for dougan
  • 1/2 piece Japanese cucumber seeded and cut into thin strips
  • 2 stalk scallions sliced
  • 2 clove garlic minced
  • 10 g ginger minced
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 50 ml water for loosening the sauce
For the sauce
  • 2 tbsp red miso or tianmianjiang if you have it
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp doubanjiang adjust to taste

Equipment

  • wok or frying pan for the sauce
  • pot for boiling noodles
  • knife and cutting board for cucumber and aromatics

Method
 

Prep the ingredients
  1. Slice the scallions, mince the garlic and ginger, press the tofu dry and cut it into small cubes, and cut the cucumber into thin strips. Keep everything ready before you start cooking.
Cook the pork
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for about 30 seconds, then add the ground pork. Stir-fry over medium heat until the pork changes color and releases some fat.
Build the sauce
  1. Add the diced tofu and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the red miso, mirin, sugar, soy sauce, and doubanjiang. Press the miso against the pan with your spatula so it melts into the pork evenly.
Cook it low and slow
  1. Turn the heat down and keep stirring for 3 to 4 minutes. The sauce should go from grainy to glossy and thick. This low-heat stage is what gives zhajiangmian its rich, clingy texture.
Loosen and finish the sauce
  1. Add 50 ml of water and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Cook another 2 to 3 minutes until it looks shiny and lightly oily on the surface. Taste and adjust with a little more soy sauce, sugar, or water if needed.
Boil the noodles and serve
  1. Boil the noodles until just springy, drain well, and divide them between bowls. Spoon the sauce over the noodles and top with cucumber strips and scallions. Toss before eating so every strand gets coated.

Notes

  1. Use low heat when the miso-based sauce goes into the pan, or it can scorch before the flavors come together.
  2. If you have Taiwanese tianmianjiang, use it. If not, red miso plus mirin is the most practical supermarket shortcut in Japan.
  3. Seed the cucumber before slicing so it stays crisp and does not water down the noodles.
  4. This sauce should coat the noodles, not pool at the bottom like soup.

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