A noodle dish to remind you of Beijing
This weekly food column is done in collaboration with the Beijing-based project and event company The Hutong. Registration is now open for their Shanghai Summer Adventures, a series of summer camp programs.
Noodles with Traditional Beijing Sauce
老北京打卤面 lǎo Běijīng dǎ lǔ miàn
Lǎo Běijīng Dǎ Lǔ Miàn (老北京打卤面) is a common noodle dish in Beijing, designed to be made with common ingredients that every family should already have in their pantry. That said, the cooking method may vary from region to region.
The recipe below is from our chef from Beijing, who learned it directly from her grandparents.
Traditionally, the sauce is pork-based. But a vegan version is also just as good.
Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
- 500 g fresh noodles
- 500 g pork belly
- 2 big eggs whisked
- 4 tsp minced leek
- 4 tsp minced ginger
- 4 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp of coriander (optional)
- 1 tbsp of garlic shoot (optional)
- 1 cup of dried lily flower
- 1 cup of dried shiitake mushroom
- 1/2 cup of dried black fungus
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp five-spice
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 star-anise
- 4 tbsp light sauce
- 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp corn starch water
- Vegetable oil
Prepare the dry ingredients:
1. Soak dried shiitake mushroom, lily flower, and black fungus for four hours. Remove the dry end of the lily flower.
2. Cut shiitake, lily flower, and black fungus into bite sizes.
Prepare the pork belly:
1. Put pork belly in half a wok of cold water. Turn on heat to medium-high. When water comes to boil, remove the foam.
2. Turn to low heat and add star anise. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Scoop out the pork and let it cool. Slice thinly. Keep the stock.
Prepare the sauce:
1. Heat the wok on medium heat. Add a little oil, then slowly fry the pork slices. When oil comes out from the fat, add the minced ginger and leek. Stir until fragrance is released.
2. Add the soaked lily flower and shiitake mushroom. Stir for 2 minutes. Add in the black fungus and pour the stock in. The stock should be enough to cover all the ingredients.
3. Start adjusting flavors by adding light soy sauce, white pepper, and five-spice. Adjust color with dark soy sauce. At the end, the sauce should be brown.
4. Boil for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs. Pour in the eggs and stir after 10 seconds. Add the minced garlic and stir.
5. Prepare corn starch and cold water mixture. Thicken the sauce while stirring.
Prepare the noodles:
1. Bring a pot of water to boil with a teaspoon of salt, add fresh noodles to boil until they float to the top; check the texture.
2. Split into four bowls.
Put it together:
Pour the pork sauce on top of the noodles and garnish with coriander or garlic shoots. Serve and enjoy!
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