Hunan La Rou Suantang Mian

Suantang Mian — sour soup noodles — is a Hunan breakfast and late-night staple, built on a broth made tart with pickled vegetables and sour rice water. Hunan's famous la rou (smoke-cured pork belly) gives the soup its distinctive depth, while fresh noodles soak up every drop.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 200g (7 oz) Hunan la rou (smoke-cured pork belly) or smoked bacon, thinly sliced
• 400g (14 oz) fresh thin wheat noodles
• 150g (5 oz) suancai (Hunan pickled mustard greens), roughly chopped
• 1.2 litres (5 cups) pork or chicken stock
• 2 tbsp (30ml) rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp (15ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 2 tbsp (30ml) vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 dried chillies, crumbled
• 4 soft-boiled eggs, halved
• Spring onions and chilli oil to finish

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add garlic and dried chillies, cook 1 minute. Add sliced la rou and cook 3-4 minutes until fragrant and lightly crisped at the edges.
2. Add suancai and stir-fry 2 minutes to release its acidity into the oil.
3. Pour in stock. Add rice vinegar, soy sauce, and white pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer 15 minutes to meld flavours.
4. Meanwhile, boil noodles in a separate pot 3-4 minutes until just cooked. Drain.
5. Divide noodles between bowls. Ladle hot sour broth, pork, and pickled greens over. Top with a halved soft-boiled egg.
6. Finish with sliced spring onions and a swirl of chilli oil.

Cook's Notes: Suantang refers to the sour character achieved by pickled vegetables — do not substitute with plain vegetables. If la rou is unavailable, smoked bacon works; the dish loses some smokiness but remains delicious.