Recipes

Sichuan Noodle and Pork Shoulder Soup (Yu Xiang Pai Gu Mian)

  • Serves

    serves 6

ARIANA LINDQUIST

Chengdu noodle shop owner Ma Yingjun shared his recipe for this dish of stewed pork over noodles. See Matt Gross's article Flavors of Sichuan for information on hard-to-find ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 12 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1" pieces
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (2") piece ginger, preferably young ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp. douban jiang (Chinese red chile bean paste)
  • 3 tbsp. sugar
  • 2 tbsp. light soy sauce
  • 14 cup Chinkiang black vinegar
  • 3 tbsp. cornstarch, mixed with 3 tbsp. water
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 12 oz. thin Chinese wheat noodles
  • 3 suan miao (Chinese chives, blossoms discarded) or scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
  • Asian pickled red chiles, drained and chopped, or sambal oelek; for garnish

Instructions

Step 1

Heat oil in a 14" flat-bottomed wok over medium-high heat; add pork and cook, stirring until browned, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and paste; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sugar, soy, and vinegar; cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Add 6 cups water and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook until pork is very tender, about 2 hours. Return to boil, add cornstarch mixture, and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Keep soup warm.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles until tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain and divide between 6 large serving bowls. Ladle soup over noodles and garnish with chives and pickled chiles.

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