Chongqing Noodles (重庆小面)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon doubanjiang ((or soy sauce for a less spicy dish))
• 4 oz (225 g) ground pork
• 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Chinese sesame paste ((or natural peanut butter))
• 2 to 4 tablespoons homemade chili oil ((chili crisp and oil) (*Footnote 1))
• 4 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Chinkiang vinegar
• 1 clove garlic (, grated)
• 2 teaspoons ginger (, grated)
• 1/8 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns ((Footnote 2))
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder ((or 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste))
• 7 oz (200 g) dried alkaline noodles ((or 300 g fresh alkaline noodles))
• 1 cup noodle boiling water ((or chicken broth) (*Footnote 3))
• 4 heads Chinese leafy greens ((gai lan, yu choy, baby bok choy, etc))
• 2 tablespoons Chinese pickled mustard tube ((zha cai))
• 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts (, chopped)
• 1 green onion (, sliced)

Steps

1. 1

   Optional Pork Topping: Heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add the ginger and doubanjiang. Stir and cook over medium heat until the oil is red, 1 minute. Add the pork. Stir and chop the pork into small pieces until the pork is browned. Add the wine and sugar and continue to fry for another minute. Transfer everything to a small bowl and set aside.

2. 2

   Bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Blanch the leafy greens of your choice (1 minute for softer greens, 3 minutes for firmer) and set aside. Boil the noodles according to package instructions. Transfer the noodles from the boiling water into a colander. Drain, quickly rinse with cold tap water to stop cooking, then drain thoroughly again. Reserve the noodles’ boiling water.

3. 3

   Mix the Chinese sesame paste with 1 tablespoon of warm water. Stir to mix until it forms a smooth paste.

4. 4

   Divide the soup base ingredients into two medium bowls: add 1 to 2 tablespoons chili oil, half of the sesame paste, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon Chinkiang vinegar, half of the grated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger, a pinch of Sichuan peppercorn powder, and 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (if using). Stir to mix the seasonings.

5. 5

   Divide the noodles into each bowl. Add 1/2 cup (up to 1 cup) noodle boiling water. Top the noodles with the blanched vegetables, a tablespoon of pickled vegetables of your choice, crushed roasted peanuts, green onions, and ground pork if using. Serve as a main dish.