📝 About This Recipe
Known as the 'Spaghetti of the East,' Zhajiangmian is a quintessential Beijing staple featuring thick, chewy wheat noodles topped with a rich, savory, and slightly sweet fermented soybean sauce. The magic lies in the slow-fried pork belly, which renders its fat to create a glossy, umami-packed gravy that coats every strand perfectly. Finished with a vibrant 'forest' of fresh, crunchy vegetable julienne, it offers a masterful balance of deep richness and cooling freshness.
🥗 Ingredients
The Meat and Aromatics
- 1 lb Pork Belly (hand-minced into small cubes for better texture)
- 1 tablespoon Ginger (peeled and finely minced)
- 3 stalks Scallions (white parts chopped for frying, green parts reserved for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons Cooking Oil (neutral oil like vegetable or canola)
The Signature Sauce Base
- 150 grams Sweet Bean Sauce (Tianmianjiang) (also known as Sweet Flour Paste)
- 150 grams Dry Yellow Soybean Paste (Ganhuangjiang) (diluted with a little water if very thick)
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing Wine (for deglazing)
- 1 tablespoon Rock Sugar (crushed, to balance the saltiness)
- 1 cup Water (as needed to reach desired consistency)
Noodles and Fresh Toppings
- 1.5 lbs Fresh Wheat Noodles (thick, hand-pulled or knife-cut style preferred)
- 1 medium Cucumber (julienned into thin matchsticks)
- 4-5 pieces Radishes (julienned)
- 1 cup Bean Sprouts (blanched for 30 seconds)
- 1/2 cup Edamame or Soybeans (shelled and blanched)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare the meat by hand-cutting the pork belly into very small 1/4-inch cubes. Hand-cutting provides a much better 'chew' than store-bought ground pork.
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2
In a small bowl, mix the Sweet Bean Sauce and Dry Yellow Soybean Paste together. If the yellow paste is very thick, whisk in 2-3 tablespoons of water until it reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.
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3
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the pork belly cubes and fry until the fat begins to render and the meat turns golden brown (about 8-10 minutes).
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4
Add the minced ginger and the white parts of the scallions to the pork. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the aromatics.
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5
Pour in the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
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6
Add the mixed bean pastes to the wok. Turn the heat down to low and stir constantly for 3-5 minutes. This 'frying the sauce' (Zha Jiang) step is crucial to remove the raw bean taste and develop a deep aroma.
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7
Add the rock sugar and 1 cup of water. Simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the oil separates from the paste, rising to the top in a glossy layer.
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8
While the sauce simmers, prepare the vegetable toppings. Julienne the cucumber and radishes, and blanch the bean sprouts and edamame in boiling water. Set aside.
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9
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the fresh noodles according to package instructions (usually 3-5 minutes). They should be 'al dente' with a firm bite.
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10
Drain the noodles. For a traditional summer version, rinse them briefly under cold water (Guo Shui). For a winter version, serve them warm and 'dry' (Ben Mian).
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11
Divide the noodles into four deep bowls. Spoon a generous amount of the hot meat sauce over the center of the noodles.
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12
Arrange the colorful vegetable toppings in neat piles around the sauce. Serve immediately, instructing diners to mix everything thoroughly until every noodle is dark and glossy.
💡 Chef's Tips
The secret to an authentic sauce is the 'oil separation'—don't stop simmering until you see the oil rise to the top of the dark paste. Always use a mix of both Sweet Bean Sauce and Yellow Soybean Paste; using only one lacks the complex salt-sweet balance. If you find the sauce too salty, add more rock sugar or a little more water and simmer longer; do not add salt to this recipe. For the best texture, use fresh wheat noodles found in the refrigerated section of Asian grocers rather than dried pasta.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with raw garlic cloves on the side; traditional Beijingers bite into a clove of garlic between mouthfuls of noodles for a spicy kick. Pair with a refreshing smashed cucumber salad (Pai Huang Gua) dressed in black vinegar. A side of hot noodle cooking water (Mian Tang) is often served at the end of the meal to aid digestion. Enjoy with a glass of chilled Oolong tea or a light Chinese lager to cut through the richness of the pork belly.