zha jiang mian- northern chinese bolognese with home made noodles

By tulawdog

Ingredients

• -noodles-
• 31/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tsp salt
• ­-sauce-
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup of green onions, minced
• 11/2 lb ground pork
• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• 4 tbs huangdou jiang (or any of the other substitutes I listed)
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/8 cup water
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 cup of bean sprouts

Preparation

Step 1

mix flour, water, and salt in a large bowl

remove dough from bowl and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes

rest dough covered for at least a half hour in the refrigerator

while dough rests, bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch [lightly cook and cool] bean sprouts and julienne peeled cucumber

knead dough until soft and at room temperature and separate dough into two balls, cover

roll out one ball until ¼ inch thick and with a pizza cutter, cut ½ inch wide noodles, flour noodles to separate

continue with other ball and reserve noodles until sauce is complete

stir fry garlic, green onion, pork in a hot wok or deep pan on high with the oil until fragrant, about 5 minutes

add huangdou jiang and sugar, and stir

mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl and then add to sauce mixture and stir until thick, turn down heat

cook noodles in boiling water until slightly chewy in the center, about 5 minutes

serve noodles in a bowl with sauce, cucumber, and bean sprouts on the top

-serves 4-