Zhajiangmian(炸醬麵 zhájiàngmiàn), zhajiang noodles, or fried sauce noodles, is a simple dish of wheat noodles topped with fried sauce. It is one of the most famous dishes of old Beijing(老北京).
Hand rolled noodles(手擀麵 shǒugǎnmiàn) are the base of the dish. They are simple handmade noodles and may be a thin or thick, though thick seems more typical. Toppings for noodles are sometimes called mianma(麵碼 miànmǎr). Soybeans are typically added, either fresh green soybeans also known as edamame, cooked yellow soybeans, or soybean sprouts. Vegetables depend on the season: cucumber in summer, napa cabbage in winter, or any similar vegetables in season. Celery and even watermelon radish can be added.
Sauce for zhajiangmian is made from fermented soybean paste(黃豆醬 / 黃醬 / 豆醬), either fresh or dried(乾黃醬 / 乾醬) or a mix of both. Sweet flour paste(甜麵醬 tiánmiànjiàng) is also added. The sauce mixture is typically cooked with meat, usually pork and sometimes duck or other meat. Sometimes both dried soybean paste(乾黃醬) and regular wet soybean paste are used. In the recipe below, meat is omitted for a vegan adaptation and replaced with mushroom for umami; porcini, portabella, other common mushrooms, and even maitake and king oyster mushroom work well.
The fried sauce, zhajiang(炸醬 zhájiàng), can also pair with steamed bread(饅頭) or other foods besides noodles. It stores well, so it may be a good idea to make extra.
Recipe
4 servings
Hand Rolled Noodles(手擀麵 shǒugǎnmiàn)
Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose wheat flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup water
Directions
- combine flour, salt
- gradually mix in water
- knead about 10 minutes
- rest about 30 minutes
- knead about 5 minutes
- rest 1-2 hour
- roll until thin
- coat with flour
- fold
- slice
- coat with flour
- boil about 1 minute
- serve
Fried Sauce(炸醬 zhájiàng)
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry soybean paste(乾黃醬)
- ½ cup soybean paste(黃豆醬) (optional)
- ½ cup sweet flour paste(甜麵醬)
- ½ cup cooking rice wine(料酒) or water
- ½ cup dried tofu(豆乾) or mushroom, chopped (optional)
- 1 giant scallion(大蔥) white or 2 scallion white, minced
Directions
- combine soybean paste, flour paste
- mix in cooking rice wine until thinner but not runny
- saute mushroom
- add sauce mixture
- simmer over low heat, stirring
- add scallion white
- remove from heat
- serve
Zhajiangmian(炸醬麵 zhájiàngmiàn)
Ingredients
- hand rolled noodles(手擀麵 shǒugǎnmiàn), boiled
- fried sauce(炸醬 zhájiàng)
- fresh soybean or soybean sprout, blanched
- giant scallion(大蔥) green, finely sliced (optional)
- seasonal vegetable: celery(芹菜), blanched and sliced; cucumber(黃瓜), cut into matchsticks; watermelon radish(心裡美蘿蔔), cut into matchsticks; and/or napa cabbage(白菜), blanched and sliced
Directions
- place noodles in bowls with soybean, seasonal vegetable, sauce
- serve