Yibin Kindling Noodles with Pork

Yibin Hun Ranmian (宜宾荤燃面)

Tender noodles, crunchy peanuts, salty minced pork, tangy pickled greens, and spicy chili oil – Yibin Kindling Noodles are a feast for the eyes and taste buds.

These Noodles are the specialty of my wife's hometown of Yibin in Sichuan, China. Spicy, salty, and umami with a satisfying peanut crunch – I remember waking up my first morning in Yibin and being greeted with a plate of these noodles prepared by Erba (二爸), my wife's aunt. I was, at first, shocked by the spiciness, but then delighted by the incredible flavors. I remember thinking, how can locals eat such spicy food so early in the morning? (And I am not weak when it comes to eating spicy food!) Nevertheless, I quickly grew to love breakfasting in Yibin and now, I look forward to waking early and meandering to local noodle restaurants every time I return.

Yibin Kindling Noodles do not have a lot of ingredients and many of them are customizable – simply maintain a good balance of spicy, salty, and umami. Vary the amount of Chili Oil and Red Chili Powder for spiciness and the amount of MSG for umami. There is no need to add any salt to these Kindling Noodles, because the Yibin Pork Sauce will provide the perfect amount of saltiness – thanks to its flavorful Yibin Yacai.

The Meat Sauce for Kindling Noodles is traditionally Yibin Pork Sauce, a combination of stir-fried Minced Pork and Yibin Yacai. Some restaurants, however, will simply add a tablespoon of Minced Pork Sauce (臊子) to the Noodles separate from the Yacai – as was the case at a noodle shop that I frequented in Lizhuang District of Yibin. Either way is delicious, but I would highly recommend using Yibin Pork Sauce. This meaty Sauce is packed with flavor and adds more texture with its crispy bits of fried Pork.

The noodles can be divided into two bowls for a big breakfast/ lunch or separated into four bowls as an appetizer before the main meal. Finally, a vegetarian version can easily be made by omitting the meat and simply adding stir fried yacai as in the following recipe: Vegetarian Yibin Kindling Noodles.

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Total Time: 30 min

Serving: 2 - 4 people

Ingredients

Nut Topping (1/2 the Mixture per Bowl)
2 Tbsp. roasted Peanuts
1 Tbsp. roasted Sesame Seeds

Aromatic Topping (1 – 3 Tbsp per Bowl)
3 green stalks of Small Scallion (小葱)

1 – 2 Tbsp. Yibin Pork Sauce (宜宾臊子) (Per Bowl)

Vegetable Under-layer (or Side)
1 large handful of fresh Spinach (OR Baby Spinach, Water Spinach, Sword Lettuce, etc.)

400 grams fresh Thin Noodles (细面; 200 grams per person)

Sauces (Per Serving)
1 Tbsp. Peanut Oil
1 Tbsp. Light Soy Sauce

Chili Oil and Seasonings (Per Bowl)
2 Tbsp. Chili Oil with Chili Flakes
1 tsp. Ground Red Chili Powder (Adjust to your heat tolerance)
1 tsp. MSG

Directions

1.) Prepare all the Toppings, placing them into separate small bowls:

• Nut Topping: crush the Peanuts and place in a small bowl. Optionally, place the Sesame Seeds in a separate bowl or add them to the bowl with crushed Peanuts.
• Aromatic Topping: Wash and cut the Scallions into 1/2-inch pieces. Set them aside in a small bowl.
• Yibin Meat Sauce: Prepare the Yibin Meat Sauce by stir-frying the Minced Pork Belly with Yibin Yacai. This ingredient can be made in advanced and simply reheated when ready for use.

2.) Fill a large pot with about 3 Liters of water and heat it on high. Once boiling, blanch the Spinach just until the stems are tender-crisp. Remove the Spinach with a wire strainer, shake them vigorously to remove excess water, and allow them to rest in the strainer to continue draining.

(The Spinach should be mostly dry by the time it’s added to the serving dish if you plan on using the Spinach for a base layer. The Spinach can also be simply added to a small side plate separate from the Noodles. In which case, there is no need to remove the excess water and a little minced Garlic can even be added atop the greens while they’re hot. The Garlic flavor will infuse with steamy Spinach, making for a delicious side dish).

3.) Return the water to a boil, add one serving of the Noodles to the pot, and while they cook, quickly divide the Spinach among the serving bowls. Cook Noodles until just done or even slightly underdone – tender but still firm.

(DO NOT overcook the Noodles! Cook the Noodles too long and they absorb too much water. They will be soft and unignitable with a weak flavor).

4.) Remove the Noodles with a wire strainer and shake them vigorously to remove as much moisture as possible. Place the Noodles on a clean plate or flat surface.

5.) Immediately, mix in the Sauces (Peanut Oil and Soy Sauce), lifting and dropping the Noodles with chopsticks. Before the Noodles cool, add them on top of the Spinach in one of the serving dishes.

6.) Top the Noodles with the Chili Oil and Seasonings (Chili Oil, Chili Powder, and MSG).

(The Chili Oil and Seasonings can also be mixed with the Noodles at this point, but it's better to simply add them and allow the guests to mix everything themselves).

7.) Top the Noodles with the Nut Topping, Yibin Meat Sauce, and Aromatic Topping. The Toppings can be simply arranged on top of each other or added in a pattern – just be sure to add them quickly so that the Noodles can be served immediately.

8.) Cook the next serving of Noodles, add all your favorite Toppings, and serve immediately.

Serving Instructions:

Serve the Noodles to your guests along with a pair of chopsticks. Allow the guests to mix their own noodles thoroughly before eating. If serving the Spinach as a side, guests can eat the Spinach directly or eat along with their Noodles.

 

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