Simple Zha Jiang Noodles [炸酱面]

Ingredients:

Chinese Ramen (3-4 pieces)
1 Carrot, 1 Japanese Cucumber (Finely Shredded)
1 cup Beansprout
1 Onion and 1 Clove of Garlic (Chopped)
6-8 Chinese Mushroom (Soaked, Squeezed Dry and Cut into 0.5cm cubes)
1 Dry Beancurd (Tau Gwa) (Rinsed and Cut into 0.5cm cubes)
200 – 300gm of Minced Meat (Marinate lightly with Oyster sauce, pepper and sesame oil.)
Chilli Oil (Can be substitute with sesame oil or olive oil)

Zha Jiang:

1 heap tbsp Korean Chilli Bean Paste
1 1/2 heap tbsp Chinese Spicy Bean Paste (辣豆瓣酱)
Sugar to taste
1 cup water

Method:

Boil water in a pot, add a dash of salt n oil.

Once water is boiling, lightly blanch beanspouts and drained, set aside.

Put noodles into boiling water, drained once noodles is soften and run in under tap water to stop cooking process. Stir in a tbsp of chilli oil once the noodles are drained. Divide the noodles into portions in plates and set aside.

Heat oil in a pan, lightly dust Tau Gwa with cornflour and pan fry them for a min.

Add in chopped garlic and onion and saute till fragrant.

Add in mushroom and minced meat, saute for another min.

Stir in Korean Chilli Bean Paste and Chinese Spicy Bean Paste, add water and bring it to boil.

Add sugar to taste.

Thicken the sauce with cornstarch water and add a dash of chilli oil.

Pour it over noodles garnished with beansprouts, shredded carrot and cucumber. Serve hot.

p/s: Chinese Spicy Bean Paste are supposed to be very salty, thus I did not use and salty marinate. As you are cooking and you find it not salty enough, you can add in a dash 0f soy sauce to taste.