Zha Jiang [Spicy Minced Meat Sauce]

This Zha Jiang [spicy minced meat sauce] is good served with rice or over blanched noodles dry or with soup.  Very tasty [a little spicy, salty, sourish sweet], flavourful and appetising.  I served it with shredded cabbage and rice.  Kept some to serve with blanched noodles [rice vermicelli].  

Very versatile sauce which can be prepared earlier, stored and serve anytime just by reheating.  

Ingredients

200 gm minced meat

1-2 tbsp oil

1/2 tbsp chopped garlic

2 tbsp fine preserved bean paste [taucheo]

1 tbsp chilli paste [chilli boh or freshly ground chilli]

1 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1/2 tbsp white vinegar [I used Apple cider vinegar]

1/2 tbsp wine

1 tbsp sugar

4 tbsp water [more if you want some gravy]

1 tsp cornflour mix with 2 tsp water for thickening

some finely shredded cabbage - soaked in cold water and drained [optional]

some chopped spring onions for garnishing

1. Heat oil in pan, saute garlic until aromatic.  Add in chilli paste and taucheo.  Continue to fry until aromatic.
2. Add in minced meat.  Stir fry until meat is well mixed with the paste.  Add in all the seasoning.  Continue to fry for several minutes.
   
3. Add water, bring to boil.  Taste to adjust seasoning.  Add thickening once meat is well cooked.
   
4. Dish out to serve with shredded cabbage and rice or spread over noodles.  Garnish with chopped spring onions.
   
   
   Notes:

You can substitute the chopped garlic, taucheo and chilli paste with 2 tbsp store bought spicy preserved bean paste [spicy tau pan cheong] or 1 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste.