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Pork Rib Noodle Soup in Sichuan Broth (Paigu Mian)

Servings: 4 servings
Author: Taylor Holliday | The Mala Market | Inspiration & Ingredients for Sichuan Cooking

Ingredients

  • 1 slab (about 2 ½ pounds) St. Louis-style ribs, sliced vertically through the bone twice into three strips (by a butcher), and then horizontally between the bones, ending in bite-size nuggets
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon red Sichuan peppercorns
  • 2 star anise
  • 2 caoguo (Chinese black cardamom)
  • 3- inch piece cassia bark (or shorter cinnamon stick)
  • 1 cloth spice bag (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • peel from 1 Mandarin orange
  • 2- inch piece of ginger, cut in large chunks and smashed with flat side of knife
  • 4 scallions, cleaned and cut in half
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 servings fresh or dried medium-thin Asian wheat noodles
  • A large handful of Chinese greens such as baby bokchoy or napa cabbage, leaves separated and trimmed
  • zhacai (Sichuan preserved mustard tuber), coarsely chopped

Instructions

  • Bring large pot of water to boil and add pork pieces. Parboil for 2-3 minutes and remove. Drain and rinse ribs and clean the pot.
  • Return ribs to pot, add 4 cups chicken broth and enough water to cover the ribs by about 1 inch. (Alternatively add water only along with 2 tablespoons Chinese-made Totole chicken soup base, a miracle flavor booster that is less than 15% MSG.) Bring to a boil and skim if needed, then lower heat so that pot is at a simmering boil.
  • Place Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, black cardamom and cassia bark in a cloth spice bag, which makes it easier to remove them, or if you don't have one add them directly to the pot. Add Shaoxing wine, Mandarin orange peel, ginger chunks and scallions. Simmer at a low boil for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and done to your liking.
  • When pork is nearly done, bring another pot of water to a boil and add your greens. Cook briefly and remove. Add noodles to the same pot and cook until done. Drain and set aside.
  • Remove spice packet, orange peel and aromatics. If you added the spices directly to the pot, you will probably need to extract the pork nuggets from the broth and strain the broth, discarding the remainder of the solids. Stir in soy sauce, sugar and salt to taste. (If you used Totole, you will not need them.)
  • Portion noodles and greens in individual serving bowls and top with a few pieces of pork. Garnish with chopped zhacai and pour broth over each serving.