Bean Threads with Minced Pork
Submitted by jml
Sichuan-style bean thread noodles with minced pork, dried mushrooms, hot bean sauce, and fresh ginger. Spicy, slurpable, and deeply savory with a cilantro finish.
YIELD
1 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThis is one of those Sichuan dishes that looks humble in the bowl but absolutely explodes with flavor the second it hits your tongue.
Bean thread noodles and dried mushrooms get a 30-minute soak until silky, then meet stir-fried ground pork (or chicken) in a wok blazing with ginger, hot bean sauce, and fresh chili pepper.
Chicken broth, soy sauce, and dry sherry go in next, and the noodles simmer uncovered until they’ve absorbed nearly every drop of that spicy, meaty liquid.
Garnished with scallion slivers and fresh cilantro sprigs, it’s the kind of bowl you eat with chopsticks in one hand and a napkin for your forehead in the other.
Pro Tips
- Soak the bean threads and dried mushrooms in separate bowls. The mushroom soaking liquid can be strained and used as an extra-flavorful substitute for some of the chicken broth.
- Squeeze the rehydrated mushrooms firmly to remove excess water before slicing. Waterlogged mushrooms won’t pick up the flavors from the wok.
- Hot bean sauce (la doubanjiang) is the heart of this dish. It’s fermented, salty, and spicy all at once. A little goes a long way.
- Cut the bean threads into 4-inch pieces after soaking. Long noodles will tangle in the wok and make the dish difficult to serve and eat.
Ingredients
Directions
Place bean threads and dried mushrooms in separate bowls.
Cover each with hot water. Let stand 30 minutes;drain.
Cut bean threads into 4-inch pieces.
Squeeze out excess water from mushrooms.
Cut off and discard stems; cut caps into thin slices.
Cut chili pepper in half and scrape out seeds.
Finely mince chili pepper.
Thinly slice 2 of the green onions. Cut remaining onion into 1½ inch slivers and reserve for garnish.
Combine ginger and hot bean sauce in small bowl.
Combine chicken broth, soy sauce and sherry in medium bowl.
Heat oil in wok or large skillet over high heat.
Add pork or chicken and stir-fry until meat is no longer pink, about 2 minutes.
Add chili pepper, sliced onions and ginger-bean sauce mixture.
Stir-fry until meat absorbs color from bean sauce, about 1 minute.
Add chicken broth mixture, bean threads and mushrooms.
Simmer, uncovered until most of the lidquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Garnish with onion slivers and cilantro.
Makes 4 servings.
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