Hong Kong ‘Zha Jiang’ Noodles (炸醬麵)

• portioner: Yield: 2 to 3 serves
• aktiv tid: 15 mins
• total tid: 35 minutes

Ingredienser

100 gm pork fillet, shredded

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 cakes egg noodles

sesame oil, to taste, optional

spring onion, diced

Marinade:

½ tsp light soy sauce

½ tsp cornflour / corn starch

¼ tsp sugar

½ tsp Shaoxing wine

pepper, to taste

Sauce:

100 ml water

1 Tbsp chilli bean paste

2 Tbsp ketchup

½ Tbsp tomato paste

½ Tbsp white rice vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

salt, to taste

½ tsp chilli oil

Thickening:

1 tsp cornflour / corn starch

2 Tbsp water

Vejledning

Mix the pork with marinade. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sauté garlic until aromatic. Add the pork and stir fry until its surface turns white. Set aside. Discard the garlic.

In the same pan. Pour the sauce ingredients. Cook over medium heat and bring it to boil. Continue to cook for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, blanch the noodles in boiling water. With chopsticks or tongs, give the noodles a stir to loosen them up. Following the instructions on packaging, cook the noodles until al dente. Mine needs cooking for about 2 to 3 minutes. Lightly mix with a dash of sesame oil if desired. Place noodles onto 2 to 3 serving plates.

Add the pork into the sauce. When it boils again. Add thickening and cook to preferred consistency. Drizzle over the noodles. Sprinkle spring onion for garnish. Serve immediately.

Notes：

You can use fresh or dried egg noodles, available at Asian grocers. I used fresh ones.

Make sure not to over-cook the noodles because you don’t want them mushy. You might like to rinse them under cold running water to help keep their springy texture.

The key element of this noodle dish is the sauce. The secret ingredient, tomato paste makes the sauce look more appealing and taste more delicious. Make more sauce to mix with the noodles. Hope you’ll love it as much as I do.