Zha Jiang Mian
A Cantonese twist on the popular Chinese noodle dish.
Cooking Summary
Ingredients: (detailed list)
- Main Ingredients: pork shoulder, green onion, shallot, garlic, cucumber, fresh egg noodle, oil, cooking wine, white vinegar, sugar, sesame oil
- Marinade Ingredients: cornstarch, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, white pepper, water
- Sauce Ingredients: red vinegar, white vinegar, hoisin sauce, ground bean sauce, tomato sauce, sugar, water
- Slurry Ingredients: potato starch, water
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Overview
With a name that literally translates to "fried sauce noodles," Zha Jiang Mian (炸醬麵) is truly one of the most irresistible Chinese noodle dishes. It's found on the menus of many restaurants, but you can easily recreate it at home using this recipe. If you're a fan of thick, chewy noodles smothered in a rich pork sauce, then you'll love how easy and quick our homemade version comes together.
Zha Jiang Mian originated in Northern China and has become one of Beijing's signature dishes, alongside Peking duck. The super comforting dish made its way from the capital city to other provinces, where chefs have tweaked it to suit the palates of locals. This recipe is a Cantonese version that my dad has been making for years. It's filled with expert tips, like how to get perfectly bouncy noodles and make a restaurant-level sauce.
Why this recipe
Most zha jiang mian recipes online are tested only a handful of times. My dad used to make this dish multiple times a day, every day, for 60+ years and can make this in his sleep.
I know you'll love it as much as our community does! This recipe has over 93.5K views, 2.4K likes on YouTube.
Ingredients
On ground bean sauce
Ground bean sauce, or min6 si2 zoeng3 (面豉酱), is a type of fermented soy bean sauce. The condiment is often used to add a savory depth to dishes. Here it balances out the sweetness of the hoisin sauce, while in dishes like Mapo Tofu, it provides a contrast to the heat.
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How to make Zha Jiang Mian
Cut the pork shoulder (½ lb) into thin slices, then into strips.
To a large bowl, add the cornstarch (1 tablespoon), oyster sauce (1 tablespoon), light soy sauce (2 teaspoon), white pepper (¼ teaspoon) and water (1 tablespoon). Stir to thoroughly combine.
Add the pork to the bowl and mix the marinade into the meat by hand or with a pair of chopsticks or spoon.
To a small bowl, add the red vinegar (3 tablespoon), white vinegar (1 tablespoon), hoisin sauce (1 tablespoon), ground bean sauce (1 tablespoon), tomato sauce (2 tablespoon), sugar (2 tablespoon) and water (½ cup). Taste and adjust as needed.
In another bowl, combine the potato starch (2 teaspoon) and water (2 tablespoon), then stir to combine.
Dice the green parts of green onion (½ oz) into small pieces.
Dice the shallots (½ oz).
Smash and peel the garlic (3 clove). Trim off the hard ends and roughly chop.
Cut the cucumber (3 oz) into 3 to 4-inch long pieces. Slice in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place it flat on the cutting board and cut into thick slices. Repeat for the rest of cucumber.
Fill a wok or pot with water and bring to a boil water on high heat. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
When the water reaches a rolling boil, loosen the noodles (1 lb) with your hand before lowering them into the wok. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the
middle of the noodle is no longer white when you break a strand.
Use a spider strainer to take out the noodles, then immediately dunk them into the ice water bath.
Transfer the noodles back into the hot water briefly for just 5 to 10 seconds.
Drain the noodles, add a bit of oil (1 teaspoon) and mix it in, then place onto a serving plate. If needed, cook the noodles in batches.
Heat a clean wok on high. Once it starts to smoke, reduce the heat to medium and add the oil (2 tablespoon).
Stir the marinated meat, then add to the wok and spread it out with a pair of chopsticks. Cook for 40 to 50 seconds, then stir fry using a wok spatula for 30 to 40 seconds.
Increase the heat to hig and add the shallots and garlic to the middle of the wok. Add the additional oil (1 teaspoon).
Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant, then stir the aromatics together with the meat.
Add cooking wine (1 teaspoon) to the wok and stir.
Stir the bowl of sauce. Taste and adjust flavors if needed. Daddy Lau adds more white vinegar (1 tablespoon) here.
Pour the sauce into the wok. Increase the heat to high and cook until the sauce comes to a boil while stirring occasionally.
Once the sauce comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, taste test and adjust flavors if needed. Daddy Lau adds more sugar (1 teaspoon).
Mix the bowl of slurry and slowly pour it into the wok. Increase the heat to high and stir the sauce until it thickens. Turn off the heat and mix in sesame oil (2 teaspoon).
Pour the meat sauce over the plate of noodles, then garnish with cucumbers and green onions.
Top 3 Mistakes
- Crowding everything at once:
Cook in manageable batches rather than adding everything at once. Follow the recipe’s batch sizes so you can control the timing and keep the pieces from sticking together.
- Adding thickener too fast:
Add the starch mixture gradually while stirring, checking the texture as it thickens. Pouring it all in at once gives you less control over the final consistency of the sauce.
- Burning the garlic early:
Watch the aromatics closely once they hit the hot oil. Follow the recipe’s heat and timing, moving on when they become fragrant rather than letting them turn dark and bitter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Zha Jiang Mian made with?
Zha Jiang Mian consists of three parts: noodles, meat sauce, and garnishes. The noodle type will differ by region, typically egg noodles in southern China and wheat noodles in the north. The meat sauce can be made with either ground pork or pork shoulder that's been cut into strips (the Cantonese version features the latter). The noodles are topped with the sauce, then with sliced cucumbers and green onions and mixed all together at the table.
What is the difference between Zha Jiang Mian and Jajangmyeon?
Jajangmyeon is the Korean version of Zha Jiang Mian. They both feature noodles covered in a sweet and savory meat sauce, but call for slightly different ingredients. Zha Jiang Mian uses a Chinese soybean sauce, while Jajangmyeon includes a Korean black bean sauce.
What kind of noodles can I use for Zha Jiang Mian?
Any thick, chewy noodle works for Zha Jiang Mian. It's traditionally made with a wheat noodle, but the Cantonese prefer egg noodles, which is what my dad uses in this recipe. You can even sub in pasta noodles if that's what you have on hand.
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Made with love ❤️
We started Made With Lau to celebrate Cantonese culture and honor the legacy of our wonderful parents, Jenny and Chung Sun Lau.
Our hope is that these recipes and stories help you spread the joy, love, and nostalgia that I felt growing up.