Chengdu Fei Chang Fen

Before you start

• Scrub the raw intestines with flour and salt.

  Place the intestines in a large bowl with the flour and 2 tablespoons of salt, massaging vigorously for 3 to 5 minutes to strip away the biological mucus, then rinse thoroughly under cold running water.

• Wash the offal with vinegar and turn the tubes inside out.

  Massage the intestines with white vinegar, then carefully push the tube back through itself to expose the inner fat layer; peel away the thick globular fat and lymph nodes under running water, leaving just a thin layer of fat before reversing it back.

• Blanch the cleaned intestines and pork bones to remove impurities.

  Submerge the meats in a large pot of cold water with the Shaoxing wine, bring to a rolling boil for 5 minutes, skim the grey foam, and rinse the meats clean.

• Pressure cook the broth into a rich, gelatinous stock.

  Throw the blanched meats, ginger, scallions, garlic, star anise, cassia, whole peppercorns, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and Doubanjiang into an electric pressure cooker, cover with 6 to 8 cups of water, and cook on High for 35 minutes.

• Cool, portion, and store for weeknight deployment.

  Once the pressure releases naturally and the meats are cool enough to handle, slice the intestines into bite-sized rings and store them alongside the strained broth in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Ingredients

• pork large intestine1 1/2 lb
• pork neck bones or leg bones1 lb
• all-purpose flour1/2 cup
• white vinegar1/4 cup
• kosher salt2 tbsp
• scallions2 med
• ginger1 med piece
• garlic3 large cloves
• star anise2
• cassia bark or cinnamon stick1 small piece
• whole Sichuan peppercorns1 tsp
• light soy sauce2 tbsp
• Shaoxing cooking wine1 tbsp
• Pixian Doubanjiang1 tbsp
• dried thick sweet potato noodles400 g
• Baoning vinegar or Chinkiang black vinegar6 tbsp
• light soy sauce4 tbsp
• Sichuan red chili oil with sediment6 tbsp
• freshly ground Sichuan peppercorn powder2 tsp
• white pepper powder1 tsp
• toasted sesame oil2 tsp
• sugar1/2 tsp
• kosher salt1/2 tsp
• crispy soybeans or roasted edamame1/4 cup
• pickled mustard greens1/4 cup
• fresh scallions1/4 cup
• fresh cilantro1/4 cup
• Chinese celery or inner pale celery stalks1/4 cup

Method

1. 01

   Soak the sweet potato noodles in hot tap water.

   As soon as you enter the kitchen, submerge the dried thick noodles for 10 to 15 minutes to drastically reduce boiling time and guarantee that flawless, bouncy chew.

2. 02

   Bring the reserved pork bone broth to a rapid simmer.

   Place your weekend-prepped broth and sliced intestines into a saucepan and get it bubbling.

3. 03

   Construct the flavor architecture in the bottom of each serving bowl.

   While the soup heats, meticulously divide the black vinegar, 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, chili oil, ground Sichuan peppercorn, white pepper, sesame oil, sugar, and the remaining salt equally among four bowls.

4. 04

   Boil the noodles until they offer an elastic resistance to the tooth.

   Drop the soaked noodles into a separate pot of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them directly into your prepared bowls.

5. 05

   Marry the noodles and the flavor base with the boiling broth.

   Ladle the scalding hot bone broth and intestines over the noodles, letting the heat instantly volatilize the raw vinegar and chili oil into a pungent, room-filling vapor.

6. 06

   Garnish aggressively and serve immediately.

   Shower each bowl with the crispy soybeans, pickled mustard greens, scallions, cilantro, and minced celery, tearing off pieces of flaky flatbread to dunk straight into the crimson oil.

Notes

• The sweet potato starch epiphany.

  Unlike wheat pasta, thick sweet potato noodles retain an incredibly resilient chewiness even when submerged in scalding broth; ensure you buy the thick variety, not thin vermicelli, so they don't disintegrate into mush.

• Embrace the offal.

  Do not shy away from the pork intestines; their specific textural chew and the rich fat they contribute to the broth are the fundamental, grandmother-approved soul of this dish.

• The Mao Jiezi tradition.

  If you can source pork small intestines, cut them into 8-inch lengths and tie a simple overhand knot in the center of each before braising to create 'Mao Jiezi'—knots that burst with savory soup when bitten.