Zha jiang mian (炸酱面, fried sauce noodles) is the iconic noodle dish of Beijing and northern China — thick fresh wheat noodles topped with a rich, savoury sauce of pork (ground or diced) fried in yellow bean paste (huang jiang, 黄酱) or a combination of yellow bean paste and sweet bean paste (tian mian jiang), garnished with an array of fresh vegetables and condiments. The name refers to the frying (zha) of the bean sauce (jiang) that defines the preparation — the paste must be fried in oil with pork until fragrant and the raw fermented notes have been cooked out. It is considered Beijing's national dish.
The sauce: Combine 3 tbsp yellow bean paste (huang jiang) and 2 tbsp sweet bean paste (tian mian jiang) in a bowl. Fry 200g minced or finely diced pork belly in 2 tbsp neutral oil over medium heat until no longer pink. Add the combined bean paste. Fry, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until the paste is fragrant and the oil separates from the paste slightly (you li, 油亮 — oil sheen — is the visual indicator that the paste is properly fried). Add a small amount of Shaoxing wine and water. Simmer 5 minutes. The finished zha jiang should be glossy, deeply savoury, and fragrant. The noodles: Thick fresh wheat noodles (thick enough to support the rich sauce — approximately 5mm diameter). Boil until al dente. Drain. The condiments: The array of fresh garnishes (er he cai, 二合菜 — two sides) that accompany zha jiang mian are important: julienned cucumber, bean sprouts, julienned carrot, thinly sliced radish, shredded scallion, edamame, and raw garlic slices.
Fuchsia Dunlop, Every Grain of Rice (2012); Fuchsia Dunlop, Invitation to a Banquet (2023)