original source

i've always loved this at restaurants - the flavour is so punchy and bright and unique. while i was slightly limited by the availability of sweet potato noodles (read: i couldnt find them at my two favourite asian grocers) and i also missed out on the yibin yacai (sichuan preserved mustard greens) i was still shocked at how perfectly it matched the restaurant flavour. it's not that complicated of a dish, but it does involve a fair bit of measuring and dosing all the sauces and other liquids that go into it. if you're the kind of cook who likes grabbing all of the ingredients ahead of time you are gonna need a bunch of bench space

also, i gave the peanuts a bit of a flash in the pan and they picked up a bunch of black spots. avoid doing this if you're in my position lol. my main modification to this dish is to double the pork topping. the original recipe asks for a pretty small amount and i'm quite large and need a fair bit of food to be satisifed

ingredients:

meat topping

• 2 teaspoons peanut oil
• 250g ground pork
• 4 teaspoons shaoxing wine
• 2 teaspoon dark (sweet) soy sauce (use 4 teaspoons if not using sui mi ya cai)
• 4 teaspoons sui mi ya cai (optional)

broth

• 2 green onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 tablespoons homemade chili oil
• 2 tablespoons chinkiang vinegar
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground sichuan peppercorns (this really isn't that optional. its a sichuan dish and these peppercorns are awesome. 🫵 go buy some)
• 2 cups chicken broth (this is a soup so its worth getting the boxed stuff or diying)

noodles

• 120 g dried sweet potato noodles, or medium thick rice vermicelli
• 200 g fresh sweet potato noodles (use these if you're lucky enough to have them available)

other toppings

• roasted peanuts
• chopped cilantro (or green onions)
• pickled mustard tube (or other chinese pickles) (optional)

method:

prepare the meat toppings

1. heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot. add the pork and spread it out. let it cook until the bottom is browned. break apart the pork and flip to cook the other side until just cooked through.
2. pour in the shaoxing wine, soy sauce and add the sui mi ya cai, if using. stir and cook until the sauce is fully absorbed and mixed well. transfer the pork to a plate and set aside.

make the broth

3. divide all the ingredients evenly (except the chicken broth) and add them into two medium-sized bowls.
4. add the chicken broth to a small saucepan and bring to a full boil over medium-high heat. When the broth comes to a boil, turn to low heat to keep the broth hot.

prepare the noodles

5. while heating up the broth, prepare the noodles according to the package instructions. boil the noodles until al dente, then rinse a few times with cold tap water to stop cooking. drain and set aside.

assemble

6. when everything is ready and you’re ready to serve, pour 1 cup of the broth into each bowl with all the broth ingredients.
7. divide and transfer the noodles into the bowls with the broth. add the pork topping. garnish with roasted peanuts, chopped cilantro or green onions, and pickled mustard tube. Serve hot.