Yunnan La Zhu Rou Dun Mi Xian

This hearty noodle soup from Yunnan's mountain villages pairs slow-braised la rou (locally cured pork) with silky rice noodles in a deeply savoury broth enriched with pickled vegetables. It is working-class comfort food at its finest — built for cold mornings in highland farming communities.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400g (14 oz) Yunnan-style cured pork belly (la rou), sliced 1 cm thick (or substitute bacon)
• 400g (14 oz) fresh rice noodles (mi xian), blanched
• 1.2 litres (5 cups) pork or chicken stock
• 100g (3.5 oz) Yunnan pickled mustard greens (suan cai), rinsed and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 cm (1 inch) ginger, sliced
• 2 tbsp (30ml) soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15ml) chilli bean paste (doubanjiang)
• 1 tsp (5ml) sesame oil
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• Fresh coriander to garnish
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Rinse the cured pork slices briefly in warm water. In a pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in the pot. Fry garlic and ginger until golden, 2 minutes. Add doubanjiang and stir-fry 1 minute.
3. Add the blanched cured pork and turn to coat. Pour in the stock and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer 25–30 minutes until pork is tender.
4. Add the pickled mustard greens and simmer 5 more minutes.
5. Divide noodles into deep bowls. Ladle over the braised pork and broth.
6. Finish with sesame oil, spring onion, and coriander.

Cook's Notes: Yunnan la rou has a distinctly smoky, gamey depth. Rinsing then pre-boiling removes excess salt. The doubanjiang adds complexity — use a mild version for less heat. Suan cai should be rinsed to control saltiness.