Zhajiang mian
Encyclopedia
Zha jiang mian is a northern Chinese dish consisting of thick wheat noodles topped with a mixture of ground pork stir-fried with Zha jiang , which is salty fermented soybean paste
.
In Beijing cuisine
, yellow soybean paste
with soy sauce(黄酱; pinyin: huáng jiàng, literally yellow sauce) is used, while in Tianjin and other parts of China sweet bean sauce (甜面酱; pinyin: tián miàn jiàng), hoisin sauce
(海鲜酱; pinyin: hǎi xiān jiàng), or dou ban jiang (豆瓣酱; pinyin: dòu bàn jiàng) may be used in place of the yellow soybean paste. In the cuisines of Beijing, Tianjin
, and northeastern China
, the soybean paste is stir fried
and oil is not used.
Some Chinese restaurants may refer to zha jiang mian as "brown meat sauce noodles," "noodles with fried bean and meat sauce," or the pinyin transliteration zha jiang mian.
In Sichuan, they seem to not fry the scallions at all. They are added chopped up, raw at the bottom of the bowl. Red chili oil is also added to the bottom of the bowl.
Red, broad bean paste is used to cook the meat.
Mix before eating.
Unlike Korean jajangmyeon
, cornstarch
is not used to thicken the sauce.
is the Korean version of this dish. In addition, the brown colour of the sauce is from the use of chunjang (a salty, black-colored paste made from roasted soybeans), rather than hoisin sauce. Jajangmyeon may also feature a variety of diced seafood rather than pork.
See also jajamen served in Morioka, Iwate
, Japan.
Fermented bean paste
Fermented bean paste is a category of fermented foods typically made from ground soybeans, which are indigenous to the cuisines of East and Southeast Asia...
.
In Beijing cuisine
Beijing cuisine
Beijing cuisine is a cooking style in Beijing, China. It is also known as Mandarin cuisine.-Background:Since Beijing has been the Chinese capital city for centuries, its cuisine has been influenced by culinary traditions from all over China, but the cuisine that has exerted the greatest influence...
, yellow soybean paste
Yellow soybean paste
Yellow soybean paste is a fermented paste made from yellow soybeans, salt, and water; wheat flour, though not formerly used, is often used as an additional ingredient in the modern day, and potassium sorbate may also be used as a preservative...
with soy sauce(黄酱; pinyin: huáng jiàng, literally yellow sauce) is used, while in Tianjin and other parts of China sweet bean sauce (甜面酱; pinyin: tián miàn jiàng), hoisin sauce
Hoisin sauce
Hoisin sauce, or haixian sauce, is a Chinese dipping sauce. The word hoisin is a romanization of the Chinese word for seafood "" as pronounced in Cantonese.-Ingredients:...
(海鲜酱; pinyin: hǎi xiān jiàng), or dou ban jiang (豆瓣酱; pinyin: dòu bàn jiàng) may be used in place of the yellow soybean paste. In the cuisines of Beijing, Tianjin
Tianjin cuisine
Tianjin cuisine is derived from the native cooking styles of the Tianjin region in China, and it is heavily influenced by Beijing cuisine, due to the proximity of the two megalopolises...
, and northeastern China
Northeastern Chinese cuisine
Northeastern Chinese cuisine is a style of Chinese cuisine in Northeastern China. Many dishes originated from Manchu cuisine. It relies heavily on preserved foods and hearty fare due to the harsh winters and relatively short growing seasons...
, the soybean paste is stir fried
Stir frying
Stir frying is an umbrella term used to describe two Chinese cooking techniques for preparing food in a wok: chǎo and bào . The term stir-fry was introduced into the English language by Buwei Yang Chao, in her book How to Cook and Eat in Chinese, to describe the chǎo technique...
and oil is not used.
Some Chinese restaurants may refer to zha jiang mian as "brown meat sauce noodles," "noodles with fried bean and meat sauce," or the pinyin transliteration zha jiang mian.
Recipe outline
The following is a rough sketch for making zha jiang mian.- Dice scallionScallionScallions , are the edible plants of various Allium species, all of which are "onion-like", having hollow green leaves and lacking a fully developed root bulb.-Etymology:The words...
s and garlicGarlicAllium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
. - Stir-fry the spring onions and garlic until they are slightly brown. (One could also add shredded tofuTofuis a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and others. There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu...
or soybeanSoybeanThe soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
s to this step). - Add meat to the wokWokA wok is a versatile round-bottomed cooking vessel originating in China. It is used especially in East and Southeast Asia.Woks are most often used for stir frying, but can also be used in other Chinese cooking techniques, such as in steaming, deep frying, braising, stewing, smoking, or making soup...
. Stir-fry the ground pork until it is slightly brown. - Add the yellow soybean paste, sweet bean sauce, broad bean pasteDoubanjiangDoubanjiang is a spicy, salty paste made from fermented broad beans, soybeans, salt, rice, and various spices. Doubanjiang exists in plain and spicy versions, with the latter containing red chili peppers and called la doubanjiang .It is used particularly in Sichuan cuisine, and in fact, the people...
, or hoisin sauce to the mixture with some water and simmer. - Serve this meat sauce over noodles. If desired, add condimentCondimentA condiment is an edible substance, such as sauce or seasoning, added to food to impart a particular flavor, enhance its flavor, or in some cultures, to complement the dish. Many condiments are available packaged in single-serving sachets , like mustard or ketchup, particularly when supplied with...
s like shredded carrots, shredded cucumbers, bean sprouts, cilantro, scrambled eggsScrambled eggsScrambled eggs is a dish made from beaten whites and yolks of eggs . Beaten eggs are put into a hot pot or pan and stirred frequently, forming curds as they coagulate.-Sample preparation:...
, fresh soybeanSoybeanThe soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
s/edamame, vinegarVinegarVinegar is a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, the acetic acid being produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes. Slow methods generally are used with traditional...
and hot sauce.
In Sichuan, they seem to not fry the scallions at all. They are added chopped up, raw at the bottom of the bowl. Red chili oil is also added to the bottom of the bowl.
Red, broad bean paste is used to cook the meat.
Mix before eating.
Unlike Korean jajangmyeon
Jajangmyeon
Jajangmyeon is a popular Korean dish, derived from the Chinese dish zha jiang mian. It consists of wheat noodles topped with a thick sauce made of chunjang , diced meat and vegetables, and sometimes also seafood...
, cornstarch
Cornstarch
Corn starch, cornstarch, cornflour or maize starch is the starch of the corn grain obtained from the endosperm of the corn kernel.-History:...
is not used to thicken the sauce.
Variations
JajangmyeonJajangmyeon
Jajangmyeon is a popular Korean dish, derived from the Chinese dish zha jiang mian. It consists of wheat noodles topped with a thick sauce made of chunjang , diced meat and vegetables, and sometimes also seafood...
is the Korean version of this dish. In addition, the brown colour of the sauce is from the use of chunjang (a salty, black-colored paste made from roasted soybeans), rather than hoisin sauce. Jajangmyeon may also feature a variety of diced seafood rather than pork.
- Cheomjang (hangul: 첨장 in Korean) (hanja: 甛醬) or Cheom-myeon-jang (hangul: 첨면장 in Korean)(hanja: 甛麵醬) or Chunjang (hangul: 춘장 in Korean) (hanja: 春醬)
- Chumjang or Chumzang / Chum-myun-jang or Chum-myun-zang / Choon-jang or Chun-zang /
See also jajamen served in Morioka, Iwate
Morioka, Iwate
is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and a population density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km²....
, Japan.