The Original Hakka Noodles (客家腌面)

The Meizhou version of the noodles that traveled the world.

Seasoned Fish Sauce for Yanmian

Makes enough for ~6 bowls. Scale up or down accordingly.

• Lard, 2 tbsp

• Fish sauce (鱼露), 3 tbsp

• Water, 3 tbsp

• Salt, ¾ tsp

• Sugar, ¾ tsp

• MSG (味精), ½ tsp

Process:

Over a medium high flame, heat up two tablespoons of lard, then add three tablespoons each fish sauce and water. Mix, then add ¾ tsp each salt and sugar.

Allow to come up to a rapid boil, and boil for ~90 seconds. Finish with ½ tsp MSG.

Yanmian

• Dried alkaline noodles (碱水面), 60g

• Lard, 1 tbsp

• Seasoned fish sauce from above, 1 tbsp

• Sliced scallions, to your liking. We used ~1 scallion worth, or about ½ tbsp.

• Deep fried garlic, 1 tbsp

Process:

For one serving, boil 60g of noodles according to your package, and move to a plate. Add 1 tbsp of lard and 1 tbsp of the seasoned fish sauce from above and mix well. Top with sliced scallions and about a tablespoon’s worth of deep fried garlic.

Peppery Pork Stock

• Water, 2L

• Pork bones, 500mL

• Ginger, ~1 inch. Smashed.

• White pepper (白胡椒), 1 tsp. Cracked.

Process:

Smash ~1 inch of ginger, and crack ~1 tsp of white pepper. Reserve.

Add the 500g of pork bones to two liters of cool water, and bring it all up to a boil. As it begins to simmer/come up to a boil, this is a good time to skim. Once it's at a boil, add in the ginger and the cracked white pepper. Cover, and turn your flame down to the lowest heat your stove will go.

Simmer for at least five hours, and up to ten.

Side Soup for Yanmian

• Peppery stock from above, 300mL

• Pork loin (里脊肉/外脊肉), 50g. Sliced into sheets.

• Marinade for the pork:

  Salt, ⅛ tsp

  Sugar, ⅛ tsp

  White pepper powder, ⅛ tsp

  Cornstarch, 1 tbsp

  Water, 3 tbsp

  Oil, 1 tsp

• Pork liver (猪肝), 50g. Sliced into sheets.

• Marinade for the pork liver:

  Salt, ⅛ tsp

  Sugar, ⅛ tsp

  White pepper powder, ⅛ tsp

  Cornstarch, ½ tsp

  Water, 1 tbsp

  Oil, 1 tsp

• Optional: Pork meatballs, 50g.

• Spinach -or- goji berry leaves -or- your tender vegetable of choice, 30g

• Seasoning for the soup:

  Salt, ¼ tsp

  MSG, ⅛ tsp

  Chicken bouillon powder (鸡粉), ⅛ tsp

  White pepper powder, ⅛ tsp

Slice 50g of pork and 50g of liver into sheets.

Marinate the pork with ⅛ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp sugar, ⅛ tsp white pepper, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 3 tbsp water, and 1 tsp oil. Mix well.

If using spinach, slice the spinach into ~thirds.

Bring 300mL of peppery pork stock up to a boil, then add in the seasoning: ¼ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp MSG, ⅛ tsp chicken bouillon powder, and ⅛ tsp white pepper powder. Then add in 50g of pork meatballs and the marinated pork. Once the pork has changed color, ~30-45 seconds, add in the marinated liver. Cook for ~20 seconds, then add in the 50g of spinach/your vegetable of choice. Quick mix, heat off.