Noodles with Hot Meat Sauce

These noodles with hot meat sauce are inspired by Sichuan dan dan noodles, with browned ground beef stir-fried with garlic, ginger, and spicy horse bean sauce (doubanjiang), then simmered down into a thick, glossy sauce that coats every strand. Blanched bean sprouts ring the platter for cool, crunchy contrast against the fiery meat.

Reducing the broth, sherry, and soy sauce by half concentrates the flavors into something intense and savory. The cornstarch slurry at the end pulls it all together into a sauce that clings rather than pools at the bottom of the bowl.

Beijing-style noodles have the chew to stand up to a bold sauce like this. If you can’t find them, any thick wheat noodle or udon works well.

Kitchen Tips

• Brown the beef in a hot wok before adding the aromatics. Breaking it into small crumbles gives you more surface area for browning and better texture in the sauce.
• Add the bean sauce with the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for a full minute. This blooms the chili oil in the paste and deepens the heat.
• Mix the cornstarch with cold water before adding. Dumping dry starch into hot liquid creates lumps.
• Rinse the cooked noodles under cold water to stop cooking, then drain well so the sauce doesn’t get diluted.

Variations

• Use ground pork instead of beef for a more traditional Sichuan approach.
• Add a drizzle of chili oil and a sprinkle of crushed Sichuan peppercorns for authentic numbing heat.
• Toss in blanched bok choy or shredded cucumber for a fresher, lighter bowl.