Homemade Zha Jiang Mian (Fried Sauce Noodles)

Prepare the shiitake mushrooms by cutting off the stems and dicing the caps into small pieces. If using dried shiitake, soak them overnight before dicing.

Prepare the aromatics: slice the ginger into a few thin pieces, smash the white parts of the spring onions, and smash the garlic cloves (no need to peel).

Pour 200g of cooking oil into a cold wok. Add the prepared ginger, spring onion whites, and smashed garlic. Turn on the heat and fry the aromatics until they turn golden brown and are completely dry, indicating all moisture has evaporated. This creates a fragrant aromatic oil.

Remove the fried aromatics from the oil and set aside. Keep the fragrant oil in the wok.

Prepare the sweet bean paste: if it's chunky, place 2 tablespoons into a plastic bag and mash it until smooth using a pestle or the flat side of a cleaver. Cut a small corner of the bag to squeeze out the paste.

Add the 500g of minced pork to the fragrant oil in the wok. Stir-fry over medium-low heat, breaking up the meat, until all the moisture from the pork has evaporated and the fat has rendered out.

Add the diced shiitake mushrooms to the pork and continue to stir-fry until their aroma is released.

Add 2 tablespoons of mashed sweet bean paste, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of MSG (if using) to the wok. Stir-fry until the paste is fragrant.

Pour in 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce and 300ml of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the wok, and simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the pork to become tender.

After 15 minutes, uncover the wok. Add 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce for color and 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper powder. Stir well.

Increase the heat slightly and continue to stir-fry until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. The sauce is now ready.

Allow the Zha Jiang sauce to cool completely to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or up to a week if handled hygienically.

For serving, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook spaghetti or your preferred noodles according to package instructions (e.g., 3 minutes for spaghetti).

While noodles are cooking, julienne the cucumber for garnish. Rinse and drain the cucumber, then chill it in the refrigerator for a crisp texture.

Drain the cooked noodles and place them in a serving bowl. Top with 1-2 spoonfuls of the prepared Zha Jiang sauce, ensuring to include some of the flavorful oil. Garnish with the fresh julienned cucumber.