Beijing-Style Zhajiang Cold Noodles with Sesame Paste

⏱ 45 min · Serves 4

Chilled wheat noodles tangled in nutty sesame paste, crowned with a glossy, deeply savoury pork and fermented bean sauce. Cool, crunchy cucumber and radish cut through the richness — it's the noodle bowl you'll crave all summer.

Per serving: 735 kcal · 28.0g protein · 74.0g carbs · 36.0g fat

Ingredients

• 400g fresh thick wheat noodles (or dried udon/lamian)
• 300g pork belly or pork shoulder, finely diced
• 3 tbsp sweet bean sauce (tianmianjiang)
• 1.5 tbsp fermented yellow soybean paste (huangdoujiang) or doubanjiang for heat
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 4 spring onions, whites minced, greens sliced
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp sugar
• 150ml water
• 4 tbsp Chinese sesame paste (or tahini)
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1.5 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 4-6 tbsp cold water, to loosen
• 1 large cucumber, julienned
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 100g beansprouts, blanched 30 seconds
• Chilli oil, to serve
• Toasted sesame seeds, to serve

Method

1. Heat the neutral oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the diced pork and fry for 8-10 minutes until the fat renders and the edges crisp and brown.
2. Add the spring onion whites, ginger and garlic; stir-fry 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in the sweet bean sauce and soybean paste and fry gently for 2-3 minutes — this cooks out the raw edge and darkens the sauce. Keep the heat moderate so it doesn't catch.
4. Splash in the Shaoxing wine, then add the sugar and water. Simmer, stirring now and then, for 15-20 minutes until thick, glossy and oil-slicked. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Meanwhile, whisk the sesame paste with the soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil and caster sugar. It will seize — add cold water a tablespoon at a time, whisking, until you have a pourable double-cream consistency.
6. Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water until just tender. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until completely cold, then drain very well and toss with a few drops of sesame oil.
7. Divide the noodles between four bowls. Spoon over the sesame sauce and toss lightly to coat.
8. Top each bowl with a generous spoonful of the zhajiang sauce, then pile on cucumber, carrot, radish and beansprouts.
9. Finish with spring onion greens, sesame seeds and chilli oil. Toss everything together at the table before eating.