Zhajiang Mian - Minced Lamb Tossed Noodles

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 80 ml vegetable oil or 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 5 green onions, finely chopped, and green parts separated
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 300 g ground lamb
• sea salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar (to taste)
• 500 g fresh shangai noodles (see note below) or 500 g udon noodles (see note below)
• 1 lebanese cucumber, seeds removedd, cut into julienne
• 2 tablespoons brown bean sauce
• 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
• 375 ml chicken stock (plus extra to thin if necessary) or 1 1/2 cups chicken stock (plus extra to thin if necessary)

Recipe

• 1 make the brown bean sauce by combining the ingredients and mixing them well.
• 2 heat a wok over a high heat and once it is hot, add the oil and the part of the onions and the garlic; stir-fry for 20 seconds, add the lamb and cook it until it turns and begins to separate; add the brown sauce; reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5-10 minutes. add another cup of stock if you prefer a thinner consistency. season, to taste, with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar.
• 3 meanwhile, cook the noodles in boiling water for 3-4 minutes; drain, rinse off excess starch, if necessary, and add the noodles to the wok with the remaining green onion and toss the noodles and green onion through the mince mixture; serve topped with the cucumber.
• 4 note: shanghai noodles, eggless noodles made from wheat flour, are available from asian grocers. to prevent them sticking together after cooking, add a splash of oil and toss through. this is particularly useful if you are cooking them ahead of time.