Chinese Pork Mince With Noodles Chinese Bolognese

I just had this for breakfast. Really. It’s Wednesday morning, Sydney is “suffering” through a heatwave (35C / 95F). And while normal people are having a cold healthy smoothie or a bowl of fresh fruit and yoghurt for breakfast, I heated up a bowl of hot spicy Chinese noodles.

It’s my Japanese upbringing!! In Japan, cereal and toast are virtually unheard of for breakfast, except at hotels that cater for Western tourists. Traditional breakfasts in Japan, even in most households today (at least, my relatives), is like a mini dinner. Almost always with some form of protein – quite often fish. This is a holiday snap of a typical breakfast that we’re served in Japan when we stay with relatives. It’s like a dinner spread! Fish, sticky rice, tempura, salad, miso soup… (Yes, it’s a low table where we sit on the floor 🙂 ) (Yes, that’s a clear plastic cover on the table. Everybody together, say “That’s sooooo Asian!”)

I was undecided up until this very minute whether I would join my family for a trip to Japan next month. I’m definitely going! I need my Japanese food fix! (Err, yes, and of course, to spend time with my relatives) (And skiing 😉 ) Off track here – I’m not even sharing a Japanese dish today (my mother rules that domain now on her blog RecipeTin JAPAN). I was just trying to explain / justify why I was having hot spicy Chinese noodles for breakfast. During a heatwave, no less.😅 This Chinese Pork and Noodles is affectionally known as “Chinese Bolognese”. And looking at the photos, it’s clear why that is. But the flavour couldn’t be any different! Though your eyes might be seeing a spaghetti-type dish, the minute you take a bite, it’s Chinese through and through. It doesn’t look as saucy as Bolognese but the pork has more flavour which mixes through the noodles when you dig in.

There are a handful of ingredients in this Chinese Pork Mince and Noodles recipe that needs to be sourced from Asian grocery stores. Being Chilli Bean Sauce (top in photo below) and Sweet Sauce (bottom jar). Which, as the names imply, are spicy and sweet. 🙂 However, don’t despair if you can’t find these! These sauces are great because they have complex flavours so you just need these, but there are easy substitutions using ingredients you can get from supermarkets here in Australia. I made a small batch for lunch using ALL the substitutions (which I’ve never done before, usually I substitute one or two but not all!) and in all honesty, I wouldn’t be surprised if some people actually preferred the version made using the substitutions! PS I also included these in the recipe video below so you can see the consistency better.

The Chilli Sauce served with this is a fairly essential part of the overall experience. Chinese Chilli Sauce is not just chilli, it’s got other flavourings as well. This is the brand I use – I have referred many friends to this. It was recommended to me by an Asian grocery store, and it’s the best I’ve ever had. Use it for everything and anything you want to add a chilli kick too (well, at least anything Asian!). It’s great for dipping sauces, dolloping and adding to stir fries. But if you can’t find it or another Asian chilli sauce, don’t worry, there are a handful of substitutions in the recipe for you!

Australia! I know we’re in the height of summer….but you know what? Most of Asia is always in a heatwave. And have you ever noticed that the hotter the climate, the spicier the food?? South America, Africa, Caribbean, Creole, and of course, Asia! There’s a theory that spicy food helps us keep cool. Whether it’s because it makes you sweat which then feels cool as it evaporates (icky talk I know!) or there’s also science around it too – nerves on our tongues that identify spicy foods and cause our bodies to react by cooling down. Regardless, I’ve never let the weather dictate what I eat. Bring on summer and spicy foods!!!! – Nagi x

PS This is how to eat it: serve it like old school Bolognese with the pork on top of the noodles. Then mix it all up. To optimise experience – because it’s really hard even for me who is more comfortable with chopsticks than with a knife and fork – use a spoon so you can get a mouthful of pork AND noodles!