Janjanmen Recipe

In a large pot, combine chicken broth and 1 cup water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, and Shaoxing wine (if using). Stir to dissolve sugar and taste; adjust salt if needed.

Whisk in chili bean paste (doubanjiang) until fully incorporated, then add Sichuan chili oil. Keep the broth at a low simmer while you prepare other components.

Season the broth with white pepper and start with 1 tsp kosher salt; you can adjust at the end after tasting with noodles and pork.

Heat a wide skillet or medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and warm until shimmering.

Add the minced garlic and ginger; sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add the ground pork, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook until the pork is mostly browned, about 4–6 minutes.

When pork is nearly cooked through, push it to one side of the pan and add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the Shaoxing wine (if not already used in broth) to the exposed area to deglaze and flavor. Stir together and continue cooking until fully browned and slightly caramelized, about 1–2 minutes more.

Spoon about half the cooked pork (and any rendered juices) into a small bowl to reserve for topping the bowls. Keep the rest in the pan to finish with the vegetables.

To the pan with the remaining pork, add napa cabbage and carrot (if using) and stir-fry 1–2 minutes until slightly wilted.

Add the bean sprouts and the sliced scallion whites (reserve green parts for garnish). Toss quickly and cook until sprouts are just tender-crisp, about 1–2 minutes.

Season the stir-fried pork and vegetables with 1 tsp soy sauce and a pinch of salt. If the mixture looks dry, add 1–2 tablespoons of the simmering broth to loosen and add flavor. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Cook the noodles according to package directions in a separate pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and briefly rinse under hot tap water (for fresh noodles) to remove excess starch; keep warm.

Return the broth to a gentle simmer. If you want a slightly thicker mouthfeel, mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water to make a slurry and whisk it into the simmering broth; cook 1–2 minutes until broth slightly thickens.

Assemble bowls: divide noodles among 4 bowls (about 3 oz noodles per serving). Pour hot broth over noodles, then top each bowl with a generous portion of the stir-fried pork and vegetable mixture and a spoonful of the reserved caramelized pork for extra intensely flavored topping.

Garnish each bowl with halved soft-boiled egg (if using), sliced scallion greens, toasted sesame seeds, and a small drizzle of additional chili oil or chili crisp to taste.

Serve immediately. Provide extra soy sauce, chili oil, and white pepper at the table for individual adjustments.