Stir-Fried Shacha Lamb Noodles

Stir-fried lamb noodles are a staple at Taiwan’s night markets and food stalls. This at-home version relies on shacha (also spelled sha cha or sacha)—a seafood-based sauce popular in Taiwan—for its briny, aromatic flavor and swaps out the traditional michiu (Taiwanese rice wine) for light-aroma baijiu to cut the richness of the lamb and enhance its umami. The hearty dish is a great way to use up leftover baijiu—deglazing the hot wok with a splash of the grain-distilled liquor introduces subtle floral, fruity, and pungent notes, and gives the stir-fry a touch more complexity.

Featured in “ Baijiu, the World’s Most Popular Spirit, Is Coming for Your Cocktail ” by Megan Zhang.

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. Taiwanese-style shacha sauce, such as Bullhead, divided
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided
• 1 tsp. granulated or raw cane sugar
• 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• ½ lb. lamb shoulder, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• 11 oz. fresh lo mein or yakisoba noodles
• ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 3 red bird’s-eye chiles, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 scallion, cut into ½-in. pieces, plus more for garnish
• 8 oz. water spinach (or substitute regular spinach), tender stalks and leaves only, separated and cut into 2-in. pieces
• ¼ cup light-aroma baijiu, such as Kinmen Kaoliang 58, or michiu (Taiwanese rice wine)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, stir together ¼ cup of the shacha sauce, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, and the sugar and garlic. Add the lamb, toss well, and set aside to marinate for 15–30 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring until loose, 10–30 seconds. Drain and set aside.
3. Place a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. When the wok is hot, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and crack in the eggs, then fry until the edges are crispy, the whites are set, and the yolks are still soft and runny, 2–3 minutes. Set aside.
4. Return the wok or skillet to high heat and add ¼ cup of the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the chiles, onion, and scallion and stir-fry until fragrant and charred, 2–3 minutes. Push to the side of the wok. Add the remaining oil, followed by the marinated lamb, to the empty side of the wok, and stir-fry until lightly browned, 1–2 minutes. Turn the heat to medium, add the water spinach stalks, baijiu, and the remaining shacha, and cook, stirring continuously, until the sauce is mixed in, about 1 minute. Add the water spinach leaves, the reserved noodles, the remaining soy sauce, and ¼ cup of water, tossing with tongs to coat the noodles, and continue cooking until the greens are wilted and the lamb is fully browned, 1–2 minutes more.
5. Divide the stir-fry between two plates, then top each plate with a fried egg, garnish with the chiles and scallions, and serve immediately.