American Meat Sauce Noodles (Zha Jiang Mian)

For the meat and chilis

1. Soak the dried chili peppers in hot boiled water for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

   Then 60 min of waiting

2. Trim the chilis into sections, chop them coarsely, then chop together with the garlic cloves and 1/4 tsp salt until a smooth paste forms.

3. Slice the bacon into a coarse grind matching the ground pork belly.

4. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat, add the ground pork belly and chopped bacon, and cook slowly to render out the fat, stirring to prevent sticking.

5. Transfer the cooked meat and rendered lard into a clay pot.

For the onions

6. In a separate pan, combine the sliced red onion, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp peanut oil, and 1/4 cup water, then cover and cook over low heat until softened and broken down, stirring every few minutes.

   Then 10 min of waiting

For the sauce base

7. Heat the clay pot with the meat and lard over medium flame, stir a couple spoonfuls of hot fat into the chili-garlic paste to temper it, then stir the paste into the pot.

8. Add 1 tbsp tomato paste, frying it in a splash of rendered fat until fragrant.

9. Add 1 tbsp paprika and the cooked onions, stirring until the oil is stained red.

10. Add 200 g crushed tomatoes, 200 ml stock, and 200 ml light beer, then bring to a gentle boil.

For the sauce seasonings

11. Add 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder, 2 tbsp dark brown sugar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, and a generous crack of black pepper.

12. Simmer over medium to medium-high heat until the liquid reduces and reaches a thick, lava-like bubbling texture, about 20 minutes.

    Then 20 min of waiting

13. Mix 1/2 tbsp cornstarch with a little water to form a slurry, then drizzle it in bit by bit while stirring to thicken.

14. Stir in 1/2 tsp MSG, 1 tsp Tabasco, an additional 1 tbsp brown sugar, and another crack of black pepper.

For the noodles and assembly

15. Prepare two serving bowls by adding 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp MSG, 1/8 tsp sugar, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, and a crack of black pepper to each bowl.

16. Boil the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water until slightly past al dente, drain, reserving some cooking water, and toss briefly to cool.

17. Add 1 tbsp of hot pasta water to each prepared bowl to melt the seasonings, then add the cooked noodles and toss well to coat.

18. Ladle a generous amount of the hot meat sauce over the noodles in each bowl.

19. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped scallions, and serve alongside small dishes of pickled jalapeños, chopped green chilis, sour cream, chopped red onion, and nacho cheese chips.

For the toppings