Spicy Sichuan noodles with soy mince, tahini sauce, and Sichuan peppercorns. Bold, flavorful, and satisfying.
Ingredients Noodles and Mince 500 g udon noodles 5 spring onions (both white and green parts) 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns (15 ml) 300 g soy mince 2 tsp sesame oil 1½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (22.5 ml) rapeseed oil for frying Sauce 6 garlic cloves 3 tbsp grated fresh ginger (45 ml) 0-3 fresh red chilies or 0-2 tbsp sambal oelek (adjust to taste) 3 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (45 ml) 3 tbsp sauerkraut (45 ml) 2½ tbsp chili oil (37.5 ml) 3 tbsp Chinese vinegar (45 ml) 1 tbsp agave syrup (15 ml) 2 tbsp tahini (30 ml) Instructions Start by preparing your vegetables: slice the spring onions and separate the white parts from the green. The white parts go in with the mince and are fried, while the green parts go in at the end as a topping. Peel and grate both the ginger and garlic. Coarsely chop the sauerkraut and slice the fresh chili if using. Cook your noodles and let them stand in cold water until serving to maintain their texture. Toast the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry wok or frying pan. When they smell good, remove from pan and grind in a mortar. Set aside for the end when they’ll be sprinkled over the noodles. You can also measure out the liquid sauce ingredients: 3 tbsp soy sauce, chili oil, tahini, syrup and vinegar in a bowl so you don’t have to think about measuring them while cooking. Heat a wok or frying pan to high heat with a little rapeseed oil and fry the soy mince, sauerkraut and white parts of spring onions together with 1½ tbsp soy sauce and sesame oil until the mince becomes crispy. Set aside in a bowl, you’ll add this back to the wok when the sauce is ready. In the same wok or pan you just fried the mince in, pour in a little more rapeseed oil and fry garlic, ginger and fresh chili on high heat for about 30 seconds. Stir constantly so it doesn’t burn, but so everything gets cooked through and smells good. Pour all liquid sauce ingredients into the pan (soy sauce, chili oil, tahini, syrup and vinegar) and stir. Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust with soy sauce, vinegar and possibly more chili oil if you think the balance needs adjusting. Now you can choose to serve your noodles in one of two ways, depending on what feels best. Either serve the dish as it’s usually served in China, i.e. with sauce at the bottom, noodles in the middle and then topped with mince and spring onions. Or, you simply stir everything together in the wok and serve it all mixed. If serving separately: pour hot water over your noodles to warm them up (if you let them stand in cold water). Then ladle sauce into the bottom of four bowls, distribute the noodles and mince in them and top with Sichuan pepper and green spring onions. If serving mixed: stir the noodles into the sauce and let them warm up. You may need to add a tablespoon of water to compensate for what evaporates. Fold in the mince, stir so everything mixes and then top with Sichuan pepper and spring onions. Serve from the wok at the table! Notes Serving style: Can be served traditionally (layered) or all mixed together - choose your preference!
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