Zha Jiang Mian (炸酱面)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
35 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
618 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Zha Jiang Mian (炸酱面)
Description
Zha Jiang Mian combines pork belly cooked with fragrant aromatics—including scallions, ginger, star anise—and simmered in a sauce of yellow bean paste, sweet bean sauce, and Shaoxing rice wine. The pork is first fried until pale, then slowly cooked covered to meld the flavors and tenderize the meat, finished by reducing the sauce to a thicker consistency. The meat mixture incorporates chopped scallions toward the end for fresh flavor.
Fresh vegetables—cucumber matchsticks, thinly sliced red radish, blanched edamame, and bean sprouts—add contrasting crunch and brightness to the dish. The noodles, either fresh or dried, are boiled until al dente and serve as the base for the sauce and vegetables. This combination produces a harmonious texture of tender meat, soft noodles, and crisp vegetables, layered with savory, slightly sweet, and umami-rich flavors.
The recipe suggests protein substitutions such as beef, lamb, chicken, or tofu to accommodate dietary preferences, and offers options for different bean paste varieties for flavor variation. The dish is traditionally enjoyed by mixing all components together before eating, letting the sauce coat the noodles and vegetables evenly.
Ingredients
For the pork:
- 10 oz pork belly or ground pork (see note 1)
- 2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 3 talk scallions chopped and divided
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 piece star anise
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 4 tablespoon yellow bean paste see note 2 & 3
- 2 tablespoon sweet bean sauce see note 4
- ⅔ cup water
For the vegetables
- 1 large cucumber
- 8 radish red
- ½ cup edamame aka fresh soybeans
- 2 cup bean sprout
For the noodles
- 4 portion noodles fresh or dried (see note 5)
Instructions
Cook the pork
- Cut pork belly into small cubes (about ⅓ inch/1 cm). Keep its skin on if any.
- Heat oil in a wok (or a skillet) over medium heat. Add the green part of the scallions, ginger, and star anise. Leave to sizzle until fragrant.
- Stir in the pork. Fry until it turns pale. Add Shaoxing rice wine, yellow bean paste, and sweet flour sauce. Mix well then add water.
- Cover with a lid and leave to simmer over low heat for 20 minutes (or 15 minutes if using ground meat).
- Turn the heat up to high and leave to cook uncovered until the sauce thickens further. Stir in the remaining scallions and set aside.
Prepare the vegetables
- While waiting for the pork to cook, prepare the vegetable toppings. Cut the cucumber into matchsticks, and thinly slice the red radish.
- Blanch edamame in boiling water for 1 minute if chilled, or 2 minutes if frozen. Add beansprouts and continue blanching for about 20 seconds. Fish out the edamame and sprouts.
Boil the noodles
- Add noodles to the same pot of boiling water (top up with more if necessary), and boil until fully cooked. Drain then rinse under cold water for a few seconds to remove surface starch (skip rinsing if your tap water isn’t portable).
Assemble the dish
- Place the noodles in four serving bowls. Add the pork sauce and all the vegetable toppings. Stir well before tucking in.
Notes
- Pork can be swapped for beef, lamb, or chicken, or replaced with dried tofu or shiitake mushrooms for a vegan version.
- If using dry yellow bean paste, dilute it with water before adding to the pork mixture to achieve desired sauce consistency.
- Sichuan chili bean paste or Korean black bean sauce can substitute the yellow bean paste for a different flavor profile.
- Hoisin sauce is an acceptable replacement for the sweet bean sauce.
- Thick noodles are traditional, but thinner noodles or about 85 grams dried noodles per portion work well.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 618 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 618kcal | 31% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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