The crispy meat, chopped scallions and tender crepe used to make the rolls have made Peking duck a classic in Chinese restaurants, but we’d bet all our yuan that its popularity is largely due to the hoisin sauce. This thick, dark brown condiment, made from fermented soybeans and available at any Asian grocery store, has an absolutely unmistakable sweet and sour flavor, the kind that connects directly with the brain’s pleasure centers. Its immense powers are demonstrated when used to accompany meats, but no one says that they cannot be exploited in other preparations.
That’s pretty much what chef Hetty Lui McKinnon did in New York Times, when he used hoisin sauce to season some noodles. The pleasantness of the dish – and the extreme speed and ease of preparation, which we already know that we are lazy by nature – encouraged us to try them, and we discovered that the invention works. Our recipe changes up a few quantities and introduces a favorite ingredient (ground pork), but you can switch it up with tofu, sautéed veggies, eggs, or other meats if you feel like it. The technique, which is the important thing, is in the video above.
Ingredients
For 4 people
- 350 g of wheat or egg pasta
- 300g minced pork
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 6 chives or 3 small chives
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3-4 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons toasted or black sesame seeds
- Sunflower oil (if unavailable, olive oil)
- Black pepper
- Salt
Instructions
In a pan, boil water with a pinch of salt.
While it heats, combine three tablespoons of hoisin sauce, three tablespoons of soy sauce, one teaspoon of sesame oil and two teaspoons of honey in a bowl.
Cook the pasta for one minute less than the manufacturer directs. Drain it and run it under cold water until it has completely cooled.
Place a splash of sunflower or olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Chop the white and light green part of the chives into julienne strips and place them in the pan. Chop the green part and save it for last.
Finely chop the garlic and add it to the pan. A minute later or when the garlic begins to brown, add the meat. Season lightly with salt and pepper and leave until it loses all the water and starts to brown (about 5-10 minutes).
Wet the noodles with a little water to soften them and add them to the pan along with the hoisin sauce. Mix well, taste and add soy sauce, sesame oil and salt. Leave without moving for about three minutes.
When the lower part of the pasta is lightly toasted, take it out and serve immediately with the green part of the chives and sesame on top.
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