Vegan Zha Jiang Mian
Zha jiang mian is a popular Chinese noodle dish that is the quintessential pantry meal: Staples in many Chinese households, the fermented soybean pastes are like richer, deeper misos, and add significant depth to this quick dish. Traditionally, zha jiang mian is made with pork belly, but this vegan version captures a similar texture with sautéed eggplant, which cooks down to become soft and creamy, adding to the body of the sauce. Crumbled tofu helps the sauce coat the noodles when mixed. Chinese soybean pastes vary in saltiness, so season lightly with salt in the beginning to help build flavor without overdoing it. (You can always adjust the seasoning at the end if you need more salt.) These noodles are typically served with mung beans and slivered cucumber, but a variety of fresh vegetables could step in; shredded romaine lettuce or carrots would also be delicious.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 1tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼cup vegetable oil
- 1medium Chinese eggplant (about 8 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
- Kosher salt
- 1small onion, finely chopped
- 2ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
- ½block firm tofu (7 to 8 ounces), drained
- ¼cup Chinese soybean paste
- 3tablespoons sweet bean paste (see Tip)
- 2garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 12ounces dried udon noodles
- Mung bean sprouts and shredded cucumber, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to boil.Step 2
Whisk together the cornstarch and 3/4 cup water in a small bowl and set aside.Step 3
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium. When the oil is shimmering, add the eggplant, toss to coat, lightly season with salt and spread in a single layer. Cook, without stirring, until the edges turn lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant shrinks significantly, tenderizes and releases the oil, about 4 minutes.Step 4
Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they are golden on the edges, 2 to 3 minutes; season lightly with salt. Add the mushrooms and stir to combine. Cook until the mushroom pieces are shrunken by about half and golden on the edges, 4 to 5 minutes.Step 5
With your hands, crumble the tofu into small pieces straight into the pan. (The tofu should be broken up enough to resemble ground meat.) Add the soybean paste and sweet bean paste and stir to combine. Mix in the cornstarch slurry, adjust heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. As soon as it bubbles, adjust heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have deepened, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the garlic; season to taste with salt, if needed.Step 6
While the sauce is simmering, cook the noodles according to package instructions; drain.Step 7
When the sauce is ready, divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Ladle the sauce over the noodles and serve with cucumber and bean sprouts. Stir the sauce and noodles together right away. (Do not let the hot noodles and sauce sit for too long, or the noodles will clump together. If they do, don’t worry, just add a splash of warm water to the bowl and you should be able to combine easily.)