Hello everyone! Let me introduce you to biang biang noodles. This is a famous dish from the Shaanxi province in China and is known for its long and thick noodles that are hand pulled. It is traditionally served with a spicy and savoury sauce and a lot of oil.
For this recipe, I used Sichuan pepper and mixed it with hot soybean oil, then poured it over the noodles at the end. Sichuan pepper isn’t actually a pepper but the outer shell of a dried berry and is known for its tingling sensation. It adds a signature flavour to this dish and can’t really be replaced by anything else. Most Asian stores sell Sichuan pepper and I definitely recommend looking for it when making this recipe!
I made this dish completely vegetarian and vegan friendly by using vegetarian mince instead of meat. I have used vegetarian mince in other recipes as well. It’s super easy to handle, just treat it like regular mince. The main difference is that it cooks faster, so keep an eye on it and let it get a bit crispy before mixing it with the sauce.
I also added a small eggplant to the dish. I was inspired by a Chinese restaurant in Berlin who is serving this dish with eggplant and enjoyed the combination. First I cut the eggplant lengthwise, then placed the flat side down and changed the knife angle with each cut. This creates nice wedges and are therefore easier to pick up with chopsticks. It’s easier to see than to explain, so you can watch the short video I uploaded on YouTube or Instagram to see exactly how it’s done.
If you love Asian food and want to try more vegetarian friendly recipes, make sure to check out this page where I have collected all of my favourite Asian inspired dishes. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
Biang Biang Noodles with Eggplant, Vegetarian Mince and Smashed Cucumber Salad
Adjust servings here:
Equipment
- frying pan
- pot
- sauce pan
- Rolling Pin or use a mug
- dish towel (clean)
- chopping board
- kitchen paper (for access oil)
Ingredients
NOODLES
- 120 grams noodles use wide and thick noodles
- salt
VEGETARIAN MINCE
- 180 grams vegetarian mince
- soybean oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
EGGPLANT
- 1 eggplant small/medium size
- 1 tbsp flour
- soybean oil
SICHUAN PEPPER OIL
- 3 tbsp soy bean oil
- 2 tsp sichuan pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 spring onion
- 1 tsp soy sauce (dark)
- 1 tsp soy sauce (light)
EGGPLANT SAUCE
- 1 tbsp hoisin
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
SMASHED CUCUMBER SALAD
- 3 small cucumbers
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (light)
- ginger
- sesame seeds white and/or black
TOPPING
- coriander
- sesame seeds
Instructions
SMASHED CUCUMBER SALAD
- Rinse the cucumbers with water and dry them.
- Remove the ends and slice them in half lengthwise. Bring all together and cover with a clean dish towel.
- Gently smash with a rolling pin 6 – 8 times. Remove the towel and cut diagonally into 1.5 cm (0.6 inches) slices.
- Grate or finely chop the fresh ginger. Add to a mixing bowl; ginger, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce and sesame seeds. Add the cucumber slices, mix and set aside.
EGGPLANT
- Wash the eggplant and slice it in half lengthwise. Cut small wedges by angling your knife at 45 degrees.
- Add half the wedges to a bowl and sprinkle with flour. Add the remaining wedges and more flour, then toss until all are evenly coated.
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant on all sides until golden. Add to a plate lined with kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
VEGETARIAN MINCE
- Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and vegetarian mince, frying until browned. Keep a lid nearby in case of splattering.
- Grate the garlic and add it to the pan. Stir.
- Add dark soy sauce and rice vinegar, stir again and cover to keep warm.
NOODLES
- Bring water to a boil and add salt.
- Add the noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Tip: cook 1 minute less than the recommended time.
SICHUAN PEPPER OIL
- Clean and slice the spring onions. Add them to a small heatproof bowl.
- Grate or chop the garlic and add it to the bowl. Add Sichuan pepper, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Stir.
HOISIN SAUCE
- Add hoisin sauce and rice vinegar to a glass or small bowl. Stir until smooth.
NOODLES (PART II)
- Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining the noodles.
- Drain the noodles and return them to the pot.
- Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and mix.
SICHUAN PEPPER OIL (PART II)
- Heat soybean oil in a small saucepan. Once hot, pour it over the spring onion–Sichuan pepper mixture. Mix with a spoon.
PLATING
- Add noodles to a bowl or plate. Add vegetarian mince, the eggplant wedges and cucumber salad. Spoon Sichuan pepper oil over the noodles. Drizzle hoisin dressing over the eggplant. Finish with fresh coriander and a few sesame seeds.
Enjoy! Please leave a 5* review for this recipe to help me show this recipe to the rest of the world 🙂
