Recipe Inspiration

Ingredients...

500g dried thick wheat noodles

50ml vegetable oil

1.5kg mince pork

30g ginger – peeled & grated

150ml Shaoxing rice wine

150ml hoisin sauce

10g Essential Cuisine Asian Aromatic Base

1litre Essential Cuisine Signature Reduced Chicken Stock

2 star anise

50ml dark soy sauce

Garnish

1 cucumber, julienned

10 spring onions, julienned

2 carrots, peeled and julienned

Method...

1. Cook the noodles in boiling water until al dente, reserving a little cooking liquor. Drain and refresh in plenty of cold water to stop them sticking together.
    
2. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium high heat and fry the pork. Spread the pork out into an even layer. Leave to cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the pork begins to get crispy.
    
3. Add the ginger and stir through the pork until it becomes aromatic. Stir in the rice wine to deglaze an and allow this to bubble away completely before adding the hoisin, Essential Cuisine Asian Aromatic Base and Essential Cuisine Signature Reduced Chicken Stock.
    
4. Combine everything together well and add the star anise and soy sauce. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes, keeping an eye on the pan and stirring regularly. The finished Zha jiang sauce should be thick and dark.
    
5. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cooked noodles and cooking liquor water. Stir the noodles into the sauce and toss to coat thoroughly.
   
   
6. Serve with the julienned vegetables.