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Jajangmyeon-Style Noodles (Zha Jiang Mian)
Serves 2 · About 25 min
Ground pork simmered-stir-fried in sweet Chinese bean paste, served over Chinese noodles rinsed in cold water, with cucumber on the side. Not spicy.
① Prep→② Make the meat sauce→③ Boil the noodles→④ Rinse in cold water→⑤ Arrange on a plate
What to buy
Meat
Vegetables
Noodles (chilled)
Check what you already have
Tap an item to check it off (checks clear when you close the page). Tools: frying pan (about 26 cm), large pot, colander, wooden spatula.
How to make it
1
Prep
- On a cutting board, cut the cucumber diagonally into thin slices, then stack them, shifting each one, and cut into thin strips
- Finely chop the leek and shiitake (stems removed)
- In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp tianmianjiang, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tsp sugar and 100 ml water (sauce mix)
- In another small bowl, mix 1 tsp potato starch and 2 tsp water (starch slurry)
- For boiling the noodles, put 2 L water in a large pot and put it on the heat
How to tell it's doneThe cucumber, leek and shiitake are cut, and the 2 bowls are ready.
Be carefulWhen using a knife, curl the fingertips of the hand holding the cucumber inward.
2
Make the meat sauce
- Put 1 tsp vegetable oil in a frying pan, heat over medium heat, and add the ground pork
- Stir-fry about 3 minutes, breaking it apart with the wooden spatula
- Add the leek, shiitake, and 1 tsp each of garlic and ginger, and stir-fry 1 minute
- Add the sauce mix, turn to medium-low heat, and simmer about 2 minutes, stirring
- Stir the starch slurry again, then add it and stir until it bubbles. Turn off the heat and add 1 tsp sesame oil
How to tell it's doneThe meat has no pink parts and is brown all over. It is thick enough that a line drawn on the bottom of the pan with the spatula stays for a moment.
Be carefulTianmianjiang burns easily. After adding the sauce mix, turn the heat down and keep stirring from the bottom.
3
Boil the noodles
- When the water is at a rolling boil, add the noodles while loosening them
- Stir widely with cooking chopsticks, and if it looks like it will boil over, turn to medium heat
- Boil for the time written on the package
- Put a colander in the sink and pour in the noodles with the water
How to tell it's doneTaste 1 noodle: there is no white hard center.
Be carefulWhen pouring the water into the colander, the steam can easily burn your face or hands. Keep your face away and hold the pot with oven mitts or a cloth.
4
Rinse in cold water
- Keeping them in the colander, pour tap water over the noodles and rub them with your hands to wash off the slime
- Shake the colander to drain well
How to tell it's doneThe noodles feel cold, and the slimy surface is gone.
5
Arrange on a plate
- Put the noodles in bowls and top each with half of the meat sauce
- Add the cucumber
- When eating, mix everything well
ReadyBrown meat sauce and green cucumber sit on top of the noodles.
📚 Learn more about this dish
🥬 Ingredient guide
If it didn't work out
The meat sauce is saltyDifferent brands of tianmianjiang have different saltiness. Add water 2 tbsp at a time and bring to a boil to thin it. Next time, start with 1 tbsp tianmianjiang and taste.
The meat sauce is watery and does not cling to the noodlesYou did not bring it to a boil after adding the starch slurry. Stir and let it bubble again.
The meat sauce burned and tastes bitterThe heat was too high after adding the sauce mix. Next time, use medium-low heat and keep stirring from the bottom.
The noodles stuck together in a clumpYou did not loosen them when adding them, or did not wash them in water. Stir with chopsticks right after adding, and rub-wash them in water after boiling.
The noodles are too softThey were boiled too long. Next time, taste 1 noodle 30 seconds before the package time.
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