Name: Da Lu Mian (Gravy Noodles)
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: ¾ ounce dried wood ear mushrooms; ½ ounce dried lily flowers (optional); 6 ounces pork tenderloin , trimmed; 2 teaspoons plus ¼ cup cornstarch , divided; 3 tablespoons light soy sauce , divided; 4 teaspoons Shaoxing wine , divided; 6 ounces shrimp , peeled, deveined, tails removed, and chopped coarse; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil , divided; 3 scallions , white and green parts separated and sliced thin; 3 star anise pods; 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger; 6 ounces spiced pressed tofu , cut into ½-inch matchsticks; 1½ ounces seitan puffs, cut into 1-inch pieces; 4 cups chicken broth; 1 teaspoon table salt; 1 large egg; 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil; ½ teaspoon white pepper; 1 pound fresh Chinese wheat noodles

Da Lu Mian (Gravy Noodles)

By Kelly Song

Published on December 19, 2024

Time

1½ hours, plus 30 minutes marinating

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

¾ ounce dried wood ear mushrooms ½ ounce dried lily flowers (optional)6 ounces pork tenderloin, trimmed2 teaspoons plus ¼ cup cornstarch, divided3 tablespoons light soy sauce, divided4 teaspoons Shaoxing wine, divided6 ounces shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, and chopped coarse3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided3 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin3 star anise pods 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 6 ounces spiced pressed tofu, cut into ½-inch matchsticks1½ ounces seitan puffs, cut into 1-inch pieces4 cups chicken broth 1 teaspoon table salt 1 large egg 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil ½ teaspoon white pepper 1 pound fresh Chinese wheat noodles

Before You Begin

You can substitute bamboo shoots (fresh or canned, sliced into matchsticks) for the dried lily flowers; there’s no need to rehydrate them. You can partially freeze the tenderloin (for about 45 minutes) for easier slicing in step 1. It is important to use untreated shrimp—those without added sodium or preservatives such as sodium tripolyphosphate—in this recipe (the ingredient list should tell you). If you can’t find seitan puffs, you can substitute tofu puffs. Look for fresh, raw wheat noodles, preferably a Chinese brand, that are about the thickness of cooked spaghetti. You can use a Dutch oven in place of a wok, but preheating is not necessary; simply heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering before adding the pork in step 3. In addition to the scallion greens called for here, traditional toppings include cucumber matchsticks, blanched carrot matchsticks, and blanched spinach.

Instructions

Place mushrooms and lily flowers, if using, in separate bowls, cover with hot water, and let sit until tender, 20 to 30 minutes; drain well and discard soaking liquid. Cut mushrooms into 2-inch pieces; combine in bowl with lily flowers and set aside.

Slice tenderloin crosswise ¼ inch thick, then cut each slice into ¼-inch strips. In medium bowl, toss pork with 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine until no liquid pools at bottom of bowl; let sit for 15 minutes. In small bowl, toss shrimp with remaining 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine until no liquid pools; let sit for 15 minutes.

Heat empty 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until just smoking. Reduce heat to medium-high, drizzle 2 tablespoons vegetable oil around perimeter of wok, and heat until shimmering. Add pork mixture and cook, stirring constantly with wok spatula or wooden spoon, until pork has mostly lost its pink hue, about 2 minutes. Stir in shrimp and continue to cook until pork is no longer pink and shrimp are just opaque, about 1 minute longer. Transfer pork and shrimp mixture to now-empty medium bowl; set aside.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, scallion whites, star anise, and ginger to now-empty wok and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tofu and seitan puffs, along with reserved pork and shrimp mixture, mushrooms, and lily flowers, and cook, stirring constantly, until puffs are just softened, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Bring mixture to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until puffs are tender but still intact, 4 to 5 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain gentle simmer.

Whisk remaining ¼ cup cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water in clean small bowl until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture into broth mixture in wok, return to simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid thickens to gravy texture, 3 to 4 minutes.

Beat egg in small bowl. Using chopsticks or fork to partially cover lip of bowl, slowly drizzle thin streams of egg into wok in circular motion. Simmer mixture, without stirring, until egg is set in long threads, about 30 seconds. Gently stir in sesame oil and white pepper, taking care not to overly break up egg threads. Remove wok from heat; cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add noodles and cook, stirring often, until just tender. Drain noodles and rinse under hot running water, tossing gently, for 1 minute. Drain noodles again and transfer to serving bowl.

Transfer gravy mixture to second serving bowl and remove star anise; sprinkle gravy mixture with scallion greens. Portion noodles into individual bowls and ladle gravy mixture over noodles. Serve.