Lao Beijing Zha Jiang Mian (Old Beijing Fried Sauce Noodles)
日本の甘いジャージャー麺とは別物！黄色い味噌を焦がす北京の魂
Description
The original ancestor of the 'sweet meat-sauce noodles' popularized in Japan. Authentic 'Lao Beijing' (Old Beijing) Zha Jiang Mian uses ZERO sugar. It is characterized by a savory, deeply roasted sauce made by slowly 'frying' (Zha) 'Huang Jiang' (yellow soybean paste) and sweet bean sauce with diced pork belly in oil. Tossed with hand-pulled noodles.
Restaurants serving Lao Beijing Zha Jiang Mian (Old Beijing Fried Sauce Noodles)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Hand-pulled thick noodles
- Pork belly
- Gan Huang Jiang(Yellow bean paste)
- Sweet bean sauce
- Cucumber
- Radish
- Bean sprouts
- Scallion
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe & Differences]
- (Meat Sauce/Zha Jiang) NEVER use a meat grinder. Hand-chop pork belly (50/
- lean/fat) into tiny cubes (Ding) with a cleaver.
- Heat generous oil, fry the pork to completely render the fat. Add scallion and ginger.
- [The Ultimate Point: Zha Jiang (Frying the Paste)]: Dump in 'Gan Huang Jiang' (a highly salty yellow soybean paste native to Beijing) dissolved in water, along with 'Tian Mian Jiang' (sweet bean sauce).
- Stir continuously on low heat for 30-
- mins. 'Fry' the paste in the oil until all moisture evaporates, the oil separates, and it becomes a 'glowing black, profoundly rich meat sauce'.
- (Noodles & Veg) Boil highly chewy hand-pulled wheat noodles (or thick udon).
- Beautifully arrange 'Cai Ma' (julienned/blanched toppings) radially: cucumber, radish, bean sprouts, edamame, celery.
- Top the center heavily with the boiling black meat sauce.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Violent roasted aroma and saltiness of fried Huang Jiang(yellow bean paste)
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Blend Japanese Hatcho/Red Miso with Sweet Bean Sauce over Udon)
Pairing
Raw garlic (bitten alongside) / Noodle boiling water(Yuan Tang)
Trivia
[Trivia] While Japanese Jajamen is a 'sweet minced meat stir-fry', Beijing's is a highly salty, aromatic dish of 'bean paste deep-fried in pork fat'. The sight of old men squatting in Beijing's Hutong alleyways with a bowl, biting garlic and slurping these noodles, is the ultimate symbol of Beijing daily life.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Before eating, stir violently from the bottom until the noodles, veggies, and sauce become a 'completely uniform brown'. The true Beijing etiquette is to bite directly into raw garlic cloves while slurping the noodles, and finish by drinking the hot noodle boiling water (Yuan Tang) to settle the stomach.
Allergen
Pork, Wheat, Soybeans