I decided to start my 25-year journey to cook a dish from all 1301 regions of the world in China. I visited Beijing Municipality for the first time in 2004 on my first trip overseas, to international business abroad. Twenty years ago. Time flies.
Anyway, I wanted to make a noodle dish to start this journey because I will definitely need the support of my wife to keep this going, and noodles are one of her favorite foods. Noodles are to my wife as pizza is to myself.
I asked ChatGPT for a list of dishes that originated in Beijing, and I will put in the appendix what it suggested, but let’s just say that I know some of them are not originally from Beijing and I imagined getting strange looks asking for donkey meat at the farmers’ markets here in Honolulu. I also wanted to start with something relatively simple, so Peking Duck was out too. Zhajiangmian seemed like a good first dish because it is fairly simple, I had most of the ingredients at home, and my wife and I have both loved eating it in the past.
The recipe that ChatGPT gave me was different from some of the recipes online which were different from the Little Red Book (小红书) video recipes my wife shared. In the end, we used a combination of them. Here are some of the ingredients, which I tried to lay out Blue Apron-style.
We used nama udon because it was the closest to the noodles used in China that we could find at Don Quijote here in Honolulu. Not shown are the oyster sauce and red chili flakes we added based on some of the videos.
The cooking process was pretty simple and we were able to handle it between the two of us. If you can make tacos or spaghetti then you can make zhajiangmian. I’ll put some additional cooking process photos in the appendix as well. I missed photographing the boiling of the noodles and bean sprouts, but you should be able to imagine what that looks like. The finished product is up at the top, and here it is after stirring it up as one is wont to do.
I am pretty pleased with how this turned out. It was a good start to a long journey, and I am already thinking about the next few dishes I want to make. I’ll have to make something from the area where I was born, because NomadMania automatically fills in that region. Also, I received my kama’aina box from Maui Nui venison, so have 12 pounds of that to use in some upcoming dishes.
Until next time, bon appétit!
ChatGPT Results:
- Peking Duck (北京烤鸭): This iconic dish features succulent, crispy-skinned duck served with thin pancakes, hoisin sauce, and sliced scallions.
- Jiaozi (饺子): These dumplings, often filled with minced pork, cabbage, and other ingredients, are a staple of Beijing cuisine, typically boiled or steamed.
- Zhajiangmian (炸酱面): A hearty noodle dish topped with a rich, savory soybean paste sauce, often garnished with fresh vegetables and sometimes minced pork.
- Luzhu Huoshao (卤煮火烧): A traditional Beijing hot pot dish made with pork belly, lungs, and intestines, often accompanied by baked wheat cakes and tofu.
- Roujiamo (肉夹馍): Often referred to as a Chinese hamburger, this is a flavorful sandwich made with spiced pork stuffed into a flatbread.
- Donkey Burger (驴肉火烧): Another unique street food, featuring tender donkey meat served in a crispy bun, a specialty particularly popular in Beijing.
- Tanghulu (糖葫芦): A popular street snack consisting of skewered fruits, traditionally hawthorn berries, coated in a hard sugar glaze.
- Douzhi (豆汁): A traditional fermented mung bean milk, often accompanied by crispy pickles or jiaoquan (fried dough rings), it’s an acquired taste but a classic Beijing breakfast item.
- Nai Lao (奶酪): A sweet, creamy fermented milk dessert, sometimes compared to yogurt or custard, often flavored with sugar or fruit.
- Beijing Hot Pot (北京火锅): Similar to the Mongolian style, this hot pot features thinly sliced meats and fresh vegetables cooked in a simmering pot of broth right at the table.
- Beijing Roast Duck Pancake (北京烤鸭饼): A simplified, on-the-go version of Peking Duck, where the duck meat is wrapped in a pancake with traditional accompaniments.
- Mung Bean Milk (绿豆奶): A refreshing drink made from mung beans, often enjoyed as a cooling beverage during Beijing’s hot summers.
More Photos:
Nothing to see down here. Next time I will try to get more process photos, as it looks like I missed a few steps. I was living in the moment!
