[ ./recipes/noodles/chongqing-xiaomian.md ]
★ CHINESE · NOODLES
Chongqing Xiaomian (重庆小面).
SERVES
1
TOTAL
15m
ACTIVE
15m
LVL
EASY
COOKED
// SUMMARY
Chongqing Xiaomian is a bold, intensely aromatic noodle dish from Chongqing built around a seasoned oil base rather than a heavy broth. The sauce is spicy, numbing, savory, and slightly tangy, coating every strand of noodle. It is a fast, street-style meal with maximum flavor from a small set of pantry ingredients.
// INGREDIENTS
| — 100-120 g fresh alkaline wheat noodles (jian shui mian) | ||
| 1 | pinch | baking soda for the cooking water (optional, if using spaghetti) |
| 1 | tbsp | Sichuan chili oil (with chili flakes and sediment) |
| — 1-2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn oil or ground Sichuan pepper | ||
| 1 | tbsp | light soy sauce |
| 1 | tsp | dark soy sauce |
| — 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced | ||
| 1 | tsp | Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang vinegar) |
| 0.5 | tsp | sugar |
| — 2-3 tbsp hot noodle cooking water | ||
| 1 | tbsp | crushed roasted peanuts or soybeans |
| 1 | tbsp | preserved mustard greens (zha cai), chopped |
| 1 | tbsp | scallions, finely sliced |
| 1 | handful blanched leafy greens such as bok choy (optional) | |
// METHOD
- 01
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles until just tender, about 2-3 minutes for fresh noodles. Reserve 2-3 tbsp of the hot cooking water before draining.
- 02
In a serving bowl, combine chili oil, Sichuan pepper oil or powder, minced garlic, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, black vinegar, and sugar.
- 03
Pour in the reserved hot noodle water and stir to emulsify the sauce until glossy and aromatic.
- 04
Add the drained noodles directly to the bowl and toss quickly so every strand is evenly coated.
- 05
Top with crushed peanuts or soybeans, chopped zha cai, scallions, and optional blanched greens. Mix once more and serve immediately.
// NOTES
- — This is a dry-mixed noodle dish, so the noodle water is used only to emulsify the sauce, not as broth.
- — The classic malà profile comes from layered heat (chili oil) and numbing aroma (Sichuan pepper).
- — Raw garlic is essential for an authentic street-style flavor.
// VARIATIONS
- → With minced pork: Fry minced pork with a little soy sauce and chili, then spoon over the noodles.
- → With soft-boiled egg: Add one halved soft-boiled egg for extra richness.
- → Extra fiery: Add another spoon of chili oil for deeper color and stronger heat.