Beijing Style Noodles with fried bean and meat sauce （Beijing Style Zha Jiang Mian）, a dish made with thick broad-bean sauce and soy bean paste, combines a rich base sauce with pork belly cubes. Simmering this combination for at least half an hour creates a full-bodied flavor, culminating in a layer of fat on the sauce—a mark of well-prepared Zha Jiang among Beijing locals. Despite the variations in ingredients and seasoning across households and regions, this dish remains universally popular, having extended its influence into Korea and Japan, adapting to local tastes along the way.
Ingredients:
1 lb pork belly
1-inch long piece of ginger
4 green onions
2 star anise
1/4 cup thick broad-bean sauce
2 tablespoons soy bean paste + 3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
~1 cup of hot water
Fresh-cut white noodles
Toppings:
1 medium or half of a large cucumber
1 medium radish (daikon or watermelon radish)
1 medium zucchini
Preparation:
Separate the fat and lean parts of the pork belly, then cut them into small cubes.
Peel and mince the ginger. Chop the green onions into white and green parts, then cut them into small pieces. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix the soy bean paste with water, then combine it with the thick broad-bean sauce.
Heat a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, then the fatty pork belly cubes. Stir until oil is released, then add the lean pork belly cubes, minced ginger, white part of the green onions, and star anise. Combine.
Once the pork turns mostly white, add a portion of the mixed sauce. Stir until bubbling, then repeat until all the sauce is fried with the pork belly.
Add hot water in portions, stirring constantly. Lower the heat, cover, and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Ensure it doesn't dry out.
When the liquid reduces by half and the pork cubes turn dark reddish, turn off the heat. Add the green parts of the onions.
Julienne the cucumber, radish, and zucchini. Cook the noodles, rinse in cold water, then place in bowls.
Take a bowl of noodles, add sauce and various toppings. Mix and enjoy!
Notes:
Pork belly is preferred, but ground pork can be used.
Thick broad-bean sauce and soy bean paste may be found in Asian grocery stores. Soy bean sauce can be substituted for soy bean paste.
Experiment with toppings based on availability and personal preference.
This layout organizes the steps into a clear sequence for preparing the dish. If you need more details on any particular step, feel free to ask!