The quintessential street food of Chengdu. It is not a soup, but rather a dry noodle dish characterized by intense stratification. Fresh noodles are placed over a violently red, highly complex sauce of chili oil, sesame paste, and Sichuan peppercorns, then topped with deeply savory, dry-fried pork and preserved vegetables (ya cai).
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The Topping. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok. Add the ground pork. aggressively over high heat, breaking it up, until the moisture evaporates and the pork begins to crisp and brown in its own fat.
Flavor the pork. Add the Shaoxing wine and dark soy sauce. Toss. Add the chopped Ya Cai. for 1 more minute until deeply fragrant and dry. Remove from heat.
The Sauce Base. In each individual serving bowl, assemble the sauce. To each bowl add: 1.5 tbsp chili oil, 1/2 tbsp sesame paste, 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp black vinegar, a heavy pinch of ground Sichuan peppercorns, and half the minced garlic. Mix slightly into a dark paste.
The Greens. Blanch the bok choy in water for 30 seconds . Remove and set aside.
The Noodles. In the same water, cook the fresh noodles until just al dente. Drain very well.
Assemble. Place the hot noodles directly on top of the sauce paste in the serving bowls.
Crown. Top the noodles with the crispy pork/ya cai mixture, the blanched greens, and chopped scallions.
Serve. The dish is served layered. The diner must vigorously stir the noodles to coat them in the fiery sauce hidden at the bottom immediately before eating.
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