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How to Make Steamed Noodles with Braised Sauce

Steamed noodles with braised sauce is a classic home-style dish from southern Henan, featuring a combination of meat and vegetables. It is simple and easy to learn. Beginners can typically complete it in about one hour.

NOTE: This recipe follows the southern Henan flavor profile, which may differ from other regions. There is no rigid standard for taste; the key is to make it delicious.

Estimated Cooking Difficulty: ★★★★

Essential Ingredients and Tools

  • Pork belly
  • Celery
  • Fresh noodles (must be the finest available; if not found at nearby markets, refer to the recipe for Braised Noodles)
  • Scallions, ginger, garlic
  • Cooking oil (peanut oil is best)
  • Light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, salt, five-spice powder
  • Steamer pot with a bamboo steamer insert
  • Wok

The following ingredients are optional for those with some cooking experience or extra time:

  • Sichuan peppercorns
  • Dried red chilies
  • Green bell peppers

Quantities

Determine how many servings to prepare before starting. One serving is sufficient for 2 people.

  • Celery: 2 medium stalks
  • Pork belly: 350g
  • Noodles: 500g
  • Scallions: 10cm length
  • Garlic: 5 cloves
  • Ginger: 20g
  • Green bell peppers: 2
  • Dried red chilies: 3
  • Sichuan peppercorns: 20 grains
  • Salt: 10g
  • Five-spice powder: 5g
  • Light soy sauce: 15ml
  • Dark soy sauce: 10ml

Instructions

Preparation

  • Remove the skin from the pork and slice it into thin pieces measuring 2 cm * 6 cm * 0.5 cm. Set aside.
  • Remove the leaves from the celery and cut off the root end (2cm). Cut the stalks in half lengthwise, then into 2cm segments. Set aside.
  • Peel and mince the garlic. Slice the scallions into 0.2cm thin rounds. Julienne the ginger. Set aside.

Pre-cooking

  • Heat the wok until it starts smoking, add 3ml of cooking oil to coat the pan, then pour out the excess oil.
  • Add more cooking oil, then add the pork slices, scallions, ginger, garlic, and dried red chilies. Stir-fry for 1 minute, ensuring constant and even stirring.
  • Add cooking wine, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Stir-fry for another minute.
  • Pour in 500ml of hot water. Cover the pot and simmer for 3 minutes.
  • Add the celery and green bell peppers to the pot. Season with salt and five-spice powder. Cover and continue simmering for 3 minutes, then turn off the heat.
  • Add 1000ml of water to the steamer pot. Once it reaches a rolling boil and produces steam, spread the noodles evenly on the steamer insert and place it in the pot. Steam for 15 minutes.
  • Once the noodles are cooked, remove them and use chopsticks and your hands to fluff them apart on a cutting board. Let them cool to room temperature.

Final Processing

  • Place the cooled noodles into the wok with the sauce. Stir by holding chopsticks in one hand and a spatula in the other, lifting the sauce and tossing it over the noodles. Continue until the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce.
  • Spread the coated noodles back onto the steamer insert. Steam for another 10 minutes, then turn off the heat.

Additional Content

  • Technical Summary
  • When cutting pork, you can ask the market vendor for assistance. Based on experience, the highest success rate is achieved by making the request after the meat has been cut but before payment.
  • For your first time cooking, prepare all ingredients in advance to avoid chaos. Once you become more proficient, you can execute tasks concurrently.
  • When steaming noodles twice, make sure to separate them as much as possible to prevent them from clumping together after steaming. If the noodles are too long, break them to facilitate stirring and serving.
  • When removing the steamed noodles, handle them gently to avoid the steamer rack tipping over and the noodles touching the water.
  • Beer pairs perfectly with this dish!

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improving the process outlined in this guide, please submit an Issue or Pull Request.