January 17, 2022

Zha Cai Rou Si Mian, Noodles with Preserved Mustard Stems and Pork

So first of all, I feel like everyone needs to know about preserved mustard stems (Zha Cai), these savory, tasty little bits of vegetables are typically sold in packets for ~$1 or less at asian grocery stores (my dad likes to talk about when you could get 3 for $1 or more lol). I love them in fan tuan, on top of congee, and ofc in these noodles where the mustard stems and pork are really all you need.

My mom tells me I don’t slice my pork thin enough lol so… maybe go thinner than I did. All this dish really involves is marinating the pork, and then sautéing it with the preserved mustard stems and serving it over broth. I add bok choy because I like to have veggies with every meal.

Recipe for 1 serving is over on Instagram.

For 2 people:

  • 1/4 lb pork tenderloin cut into thin slices
  • pork marinade: 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp shaoxing wine, dash of white pepper
  • 2 packs of zha cai, preserved mustard stems (~5 oz total) — sometimes these come whole, if so, slice. These come in both original as well as spicy. For this dish I use original
  • 4 cups chicken bone broth — if using a particularly rich bone broth I would dilute it to 2 parts broth to 1 part water
  • 2 serving wheat noodles
  • 1 scallion minced
  • 6 baby bok choy, halved
  • shaoxing wine
  • ground white pepper
  • sesame oil
  • sugar
  • salt

To make:

  • Mix pork with marinade and let sit for 30 minutes
  • Cook noodles according to package instructions, rinse and drain
  • Heat up oil in a pan over medium heat and sauce the pork. Once pork is almost cooked add in the mustard stems along with a pinch of sugar to give it a quick cook. Remove from pan once pork is fully cooked
  • Add in a little more oil and sauce scallion until fragrant
    Add a few splashes of shaoxing wine to bottom of the pan to deglaze the pork bits
  • Add in broth (and water if using) and bring to boil
  • Add in bok choy/alt veggies and simmer for ~3 minutes until softened. Season with white pepper and salt to taste
  • Add in noodles and top with zha cai and cooked pork, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Garnish with additional scallions and chili oil if desired