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Jun Takagi
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| Tainan Style Noodles |
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SERVES 6
Tan-tzu Mian
Of Fukien origins, this noodle dish is now synonymous with Tainan—thanks to the expertise of noodle cooks like those at Slow Season, who gave us this recipe.
2 lbs. medium shrimp
Salt
2 tsp. lard
1/4 lb. boneless pork butt, minced
4 small shallots, peeled and finely minced
2 tbsp. Chinese dark soy sauce
10 oz. you-mian (oily noodles) or 6 oz. spaghetti
2 cups mung bean sprouts, heads and tails trimmed
1/2 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 scallion, trimmed and finely minced
6 small sprigs cilantro
1. Peel shrimp, chop shells, and put shells into a medium pot. Halve 3 of the shrimp lengthwise and set aside. (Save remaining shrimp for another use.) Add 8 cups water to pot and boil over medium heat, partially covered, until liquid has reduced by about one-quarter, 35–45 minutes. Strain broth into a small pot and season to taste with salt. Keep warm over lowest heat.
2. Heat lard in a wok over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Stir-fry pork until no longer pink. Add shallots and stir-fry until pork is well browned, 5–7 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and I cup water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
3. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Put shrimp into a large sieve, transfer to pot, and cook until opaque, 25–30 seconds. Set shrimp aside. Put noodles into sieve, transfer to pot, and cook until soft, 1 minute for the oily noodles and divide between 6 bowls. Put sprouts into sieve, transfer to pot, and blanch. Drain sprouts, then divide between bowls. Divide garlic, scallions, cilantro, and shrimp broth between bowls, then add a generous tbsp. of the pork sauce to each bowl. Garnish each with a piece of shrimp.
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This recipe was first published in Saveur in Issue #73
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