Zha Jiang Mian(炸酱面)
Zha Jiang Mian(炸酱面), one of the traditional noodle dishes from northern China, has a long history. It features a rich soybean paste sauce served over smooth, chewy noodles, often accompanied by seasonal vegetables. Simply mix everything together, and it's ready to eat. Despite its simplicity, it's full of flavor and is a favorite among many people.
Many people love eating Zha Jiang Mian(炸酱面), but there are some important tips to keep in mind when making it. Once you master these techniques, you'll be able to make it easily! Let's learn together!
1、How to Store the Fried Sauce?
Store the prepared sauce in the refrigerator. Use a clean spoon each time, and it will last for 3-5 days.
2、What Meat to Use for the Fried Sauce?
Choose streaky pork for the sauce because its balance of fat and lean meat ensures the sauce won't turn out dry or tough.
3、Should You Use Sweet Bean Paste or Yellow Soybean Paste for the Fried Sauce?
You can use a combination of broad bean paste, yellow soybean paste, and sweet bean paste, following a ratio of 1 part broad bean paste, 2 parts yellow soybean paste, and 4 parts sweet bean paste.
4、Do You Fry the Meat or the Sauce First?
Fry the meat first, then the sauce.
5、How Long Should You Cook the Fried Sauce?
Cook for about 15-20 minutes.
6、Do You Need to Skin the Streaky Pork for Making the Fried Sauce?
Yes, skin the streaky pork. Without skinning, the pork rind can become tough and affect the texture after the fat renders out.
7、How to Control the Heat When Stir-Frying the Fried Sauce?
Use low heat and stir in one direction to avoid burning the sauce, ensuring a better taste.
With these tips, you'll be able to make authentic Zha Jiang Mian(炸酱面) quickly. You can also adjust the seasoning and ingredients according to your taste. Now, let's get started!
INGREDIENTS
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- 400g streaky pork
- 200g all-purpose flour
ACCESSORIES
- 1/3 onion
- 2/3 stalk of green onion (white part)
- A small handful of soybeans
- A small handful of edamame
- A small handful of bean sprouts
- 1/2 carrot
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1/2 watermelon radish
- 1/2 celery stalk
- Appropriate amount of water
SEASONINGS
- A small piece of ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon cooking wine
- 150g dry yellow soybean paste
- 100g yellow soybean paste
- 100g sweet bean paste
- 2-3 rock sugar pieces
- 1g salt
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Prepare all the ingredients.
STEP 2
Soak the soybeans overnight.
STEP 3
Cut the streaky pork into small cubes, separating the fat from the lean meat. Chop the green onions and onion. Mince a slice of ginger and slice the rest. Peel and slice the garlic. Cut the leftover green onion pieces into segments for later use.
Tips:
Separating the fat and lean meat prevents the lean meat from becoming dry and tough when frying.
STEP 4
Prepare the sauce in a large bowl. Combine the three types of paste (broad bean paste, yellow soybean paste, and sweet bean paste) with water or yellow wine according to your preference.
Tips:
①Adjust the ratio of the three pastes to your taste; for a sweeter sauce, add more sweet bean paste. Taste and adjust the sweetness with sugar if needed.
②Dry yellow soybean paste is solid and can be difficult to mix; add it gradually to the water while stirring.
STEP 5
Heat a pan with more oil than usual for stir-frying. Add ginger, green onion, garlic, and spices. Fry on low heat until fragrant, then discard the solids, leaving only the flavored oil.
Tips:
Do not skip this step; the flavored oil adds depth to the sauce.
STEP 6
Add the diced fat to the pan and fry until golden brown. Then add the lean meat cubes and fry until they change color. Add a tablespoon of cooking wine and some minced ginger to remove the odor.
STEP 7
Add minced onion and half of the minced green onion, and stir-fry briefly. Add the prepared sauce in three batches, stirring well after each addition to fully combine the meat and sauce. Cook on low heat, stirring to prevent sticking. Once the sauce thickens and you can see a layer of oil on top, add the remaining minced green onion and a bit of rock sugar for flavor. Fry until the green onion is fragrant, then turn off the heat.
Tips:
Rock sugar can be substituted with regular sugar.
STEP 8
Prepare the noodles. Mix the flour, water, and salt in a mixing bowl, and knead the dough until smooth using a stand mixer.
Tips:
Don't add too much water; the noodles should be firm and chewy.
STEP 9
Let the dough rest for half an hour.
STEP 10
Divide the dough in half, shape into balls, and roll flat.
STEP 11
Feed the flattened dough through the pasta machine to create smooth, flat sheets. It's normal for the dough to be irregular at first; repeated pressing will make it smooth and even.
STEP 12
Dust both sides of the dough sheets with flour to prevent sticking, fold them into rectangles, and continue pressing. The dough will become thinner and smoother with each pass.
Tips:
Dust with flour each time to prevent sticking. Fold and press repeatedly.
STEP 13
Feed the flattened dough through the pasta cutter attachment to make fresh, evenly thick noodles.
STEP 14
Dust the fresh noodles with flour to prevent sticking.
STEP 15
Prepare the toppings. Cook the soybeans and edamame, blanch the bean sprouts, and celery, Dice the celery.
STEP 16
Rub the cucumber with salt to clean the skin, peel the carrot, and the watermelon radish, then cut into strips.
STEP 17
Use the pasta machine to julienne the vegetables in seconds.
Tips:
you can julienne them by hand.
STEP 18
Place the julienned vegetables in a bowl; they add a refreshing crunch to the noodles.
Tips:
Adjust the amount and variety of vegetables to your taste.
STEP 19
Boil the noodles. Add some salt and a few drops of oil to the boiling water. Stir the noodles to prevent sticking. Rinse the cooked noodles with cold water for a smoother texture.
STEP 20
Place the rinsed noodles in a bowl.
STEP 21
Arrange the julienned vegetables on top of the noodles and add a generous spoonful of the flavorful sauce. The colorful presentation is very appetizing.
STEP 22
Mix the noodles, sauce, and vegetables well before eating. The noodles are chewy and smooth, the savory sauce is aromatic, and the crisp vegetables and tender soybeans add a delightful texture.
Recipe analyzer
- Recipes: Zha Jiang Mian(炸酱面)
- Main Ingredients:12
- Servings per recipe:1
- Servings size:1.9 kg
-
Energy (calories):1608 kcal
-
Protein:124.55 g
-
Fat:46.53 g
Why gray?
-
Carbohydrates:162.28 g
-
Protein: 33%526 kcal
-
Fat: 26%418 kcal
-
Carbohydrates: 41%666 kcal
The ratio shows whether the proportion of both fatty acids in your diet is optimal. Red color means too much of Omega 6 or too little of Omega 3. The data are rounded off and approximate.
6 REVIEWS