½teaspoonblack peppercorns - ground in a pestle and mortar
1teaspoonsugar
1tablespoonrice wine vinegar
1tablespoonbalsamic vinegar
1cupchicken stock (chicken broth or chicken bouillon) - hot
Topping Ingredients
1tablespoonspring onions - sliced for garnish
1tablespooncilantro (coriander) - chopped finely for garnish
400gramsla mian - fresh
1handfulspinach
Instructions
Add some oil into a medium saucepan over medium heat, depending on how fatty your mince is. Add in all the meat ingredients stirring to combine evenly. Let cook, occasionally stirring, until the meat caramelises and takes on a crispy-ish exterior, about 10 to 15 minutes.
While the meat is cooking and caramelising and multiplying umami, ready your sauce.
Combine all sauce ingredients, except stock, in a small bowl, and mix to distribute ingredients evenly. Dish out equally between 4 serving bowls that will hold your final dish. Set aside.
Heat your stock, and bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a boil. Keep the stock on a simmer to remain hot, and blanch the green veggies for about 5 seconds in hot water. Use tongs to remove veggies from each serving bowl.
Divide the stock between the bowls and mix with the other sauce ingredients. Now the water should be back to the boil again; add the noodles to the boiling water, according to packet instructions, to blanch briefly (I’d estimate about 2 to 4 minutes). Drain everything through a colander, and divide noodles equally between the bowls.
Top with the mince. Garnish with chopped spring onion and cilantro.