Beijing Noodles Recipes

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.

BEIJING NOODLES

Steps:

• Place the dried shiitake in a bowl, add the boiling water, and set aside to soften for about 15 minutes. With a box grater or in a food processor, coarsely grate the tofu. Slice the moonlight mushrooms, mince or press the garlic, and chop the onion. Bring a large covered pot of salted water to a boil for cooking the pasta.
• In a large skillet on medium heat, warm the oil and sauté the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper for about 7 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Stir in the sliced mushrooms and grated tofu and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to release their juices.
• Meanwhile, remove the softened shiitake from the bowl. If there are large stems, cut them off and discard. Slice the caps and add to the skillet. Add 3/4 cup of the shiitake soaking liquid (pour the liquid with care so that any gritty residue is left behind in the bowl). Add the sweet bean sauce and the vinegar and stir occasionally until the sauce is hot, about 5 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water.
• While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta until al dente and prepare the toppings; we like to serve the toppings at the table in separate bowls so that diners can choose their own. Drain the pasta.
• Serve Beijing Noodles in individual bowls: a helping of noodles topped with some sauce, and then the toppings.
• Ingredient Notes
• Look for Chinese sweet bean sauce in Asian markets. It usually comes in 6- or 16-ounce cans. Leftover sauce can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator for several months.
• Stir some Chinese chili paste into the sauce.
• Stir a few drops of dark sesame oil into the noodles.
• Serving & menu idea
• If you want a simple dessert, try the Orange Vanilla Shake (page 281).