Chengdu Zajiang Mian

Pork topping for 4-6 servings (scale as you want):
1 lb ground pork
3 tbsp sambal oelek or 3 pickled medium-hot red chilies
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp tian mian jiang/sweet wheat sauce

Sauce per serving:
1 tsp melted lard (optional)
2 tbsp chili oil with flakes
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp chicken broth
1 tsp zhenjiang black vinegar
1 tsp runny Chinese sesame paste
1/4 tsp or more roasted ground Sichuan pepper
2 tsp thinly sliced green onions

4 oz dried noodles per serving
bok choy and/or fried egg (optional)

1. Make pork topping: Saute pork until beginning to brown and juices are mostly cooked off. Add pickled chilies and garlic, cook, mix with pork. Add water, soy sauces, wheat sauce, simmer about 15 min. Add more water if necessary - you want it to be kinda wet. (It'll probably be wet anyway.)

2. Mix the sauce.

3. Cook noodles, adding bok choy towards the end to cook it too.

4. Each bowl: noodles, sauce, pork topping, bok choy, egg.

Source: Taylor Holliday, The Mala Project, https://blog.themalamarket.com/chengdu-zajiang-noodles-zajiang-mian/

Another Kimchi

1 head (2-2.5lb) Napa or green cabbage, cut into pieces (kinda whatever you want - they recommend 2x1" squares but I like it a little more thinly sliced)

2 tbsp kosher salt

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp peeled, grated ginger

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp sugar

3 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chile pepper flakes)

4 green onions, green parts only, in 2 inch pieces

1/4 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced

1. Mix cabbage with salt and let it sit for about an hour. Drain and lightly rinse, let sit another 10-15 minutes.

2. Mix garlic, ginger, fish sauce, sugar, gochugaru. Let sit 15 min.

3. Mix everything. Pack into a glass jar, add a little water to get the last seasoning paste. Let it sit in the covered jar for about 3 days at room temperature. (might bubble over.) Then refrigerate.

Source: "Mother in law's kimchi DIY kit" https://milkimchi.com/