CHINESE COOKING: I have been asked to post this noodles recipe which I missed before. So here it is.

NOODLES WITH MEAT SAUCE: JAJIANGMEIN炸醬麵:

 

 

 

 

1 lb. freshly-minced pork

1 tbsp. dried shrimp

4-5 dried or fresh shitake mushrooms

1/2 half of an English cucumber

4 stalks green onions, each stalk divided into 2 parts

1 tsp. minced garlic

seasoning for pork:

    1 tbsp. light soy sauce

    1/2 tsp. sugar

    1 tbsp. tapioca starch mixed with 3 tbsp. water

sauce:

    4 tbsp. spicy bean paste

    2 tbsp. sweet bean paste

    1 tsp. sugar

    1/2 tsp salt

    dash of white pepper

    3 tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry

    2 tsp. dark soy sauce

    1 tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp. water

12-16 oz (or around 500gm) pkg of Chinese thin wheat noodles

 

 

 

 

If dried mushrooms are used, soak in hot water for several hours; then simmer in its own soaking liquid for 30 minutes. Cool; then dice the caps, reserving cooking liquid. If using fresh mushrooms, rinse & dry, then dice the caps. Soak dried shrimp in water for several hours to soften; then drain and chop finely. Cut cucumber into long sections, then cut each section into long thin julienne strips.

 

Season pork with seasoning ingredients and marinate for 1 hour. Cut white parts of green onion into 2 sections; then each section thin strips length-wise. Finely chop the green parts.

 

In a large non-stick saucepan or well-seasoned wok, heat 1 tbsp. of cooking oil over high heat until hot. Add in minced garlic and dried shrimp; cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add in pork. Toss and cook until no longer pink; then add in 1/4-1/2 tsp. salt. Add in the 2 types of bean paste, stirring well to coat meat with it. Mix rest of sauce ingredients together; then add into meat. Cook until sauce comes to a boil and becomes thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a bit of water or mushroom cooking liquid if sauce is too thick. Sprinkle chopped green onion on top of meat mixture. Remove from heat and keep warm while cooking noodles.

 

Follow package instructions to cook noodles, drain and transfer to a large flat casserole dish. Arrange cucumber & green onion strips over the noodles on one end of the dish while pouring in the meat & sauce to cover the rest of the noodles.

 

Serve by tossing the noodles together with the meat sauce and the raw vegetables.