Sweet and Spicy Pork Noodles Recipe

Sweet from the hoisin sauce and spicy from the minced Thai chiles, this quick-cooking pork noodle dish makes for a cozy dinner any night of the week. You’ll need a few Chinese pantry staples to make it: Chinese fermented black beans, hoisin sauce, and Shao-Hsing rice wine, plus dried Chinese egg noodles if you’re not using the fresh variety.

What are Chinese fermented black beans?

Chinese fermented black beans, also known as douchi, are salted and fermented soybeans that are an essential ingredient in Chinese cuisine. They have a soft, slightly dry texture and provide a pungent, salty, umami-rich flavor that brings complexity to stir-fries, braises, and sauces like the one featured here.

What is Shao-Hsing rice wine?

This style of rice wine, also called Shaoxing rice wine and hailing from its namesake city in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, is made by fermenting glutinous rice, water, and wheat-based yeast. A common ingredient in Chinese dishes that’s widely available from Asian grocers, it has a tangy, complex flavor with some sweetness, though it’s not as sweet as mirin. Dry sherry makes a fine, gluten-free substitute.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

• Be sure to rinse the fermented black beans before chopping and adding to the skillet in order to remove the excess salt.
• The most common types of fresh Chinese egg noodles include wonton noodles, chow mein noodles, and lo mein noodles. Look for them in the refrigerated section of your local Asian market.

Suggested pairing

An off-dry California Riesling, like one from Anderson Valley, will balance the heat from the chiles and the sweetness of the hoisin sauce in this dish.