Fish-Flavored Winter Melon with Wood Ear and Noodles
A vibrant Sichuan-style yuxiang dish featuring tender winter melon slices, chewy wood ear mushrooms, and silky rice noodles in a savory-sweet-sour sauce. Despite its name, this classic contains no fish—the 'fish fragrance' comes from a magical blend of aromatics and chili bean paste that creates layers of umami, warmth, and brightness.
Story
Yuxiang (鱼香) is one of Sichuan cuisine's most beloved flavor profiles—essentially a balanced dance between sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. The name translates to 'fish fragrance' but don't be fooled: there's no fish here. Instead, the magic comes from combining garlic, ginger, scallions, and chili bean paste into something that somehow evokes the ocean without any seafood. Winter melon (sometimes called changua or fuzzy melon) has a mild, cucumber-like sweetness that soaks up all that saucy goodness beautifully.
Ingredients
winter melon (changua or fuzzy melon)
300g, thinly sliced
dried wood ear mushrooms
15g, soaked and sliced
wide rice noodles
100g, cooked until pliable
ground pork
80g
garlic
3 cloves, minced
ginger
1 inch, finely grated
scallions
3, white and green parts separated
Sichuan chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
1.5 tablespoons
light soy sauce
1 tablespoon
rice vinegar
1 tablespoon
sugar
1 teaspoon
sesame oil
1 teaspoon
vegetable oil
2 tablespoons
cornstarch slurry
1 tablespoon (1 tsp starch + 2 tsp water)
Instructions
1
Prep Your Ingredients
Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes until fully expanded, then drain and slice into thin strips. Cook the rice noodles according to package directions until just tender, then drain and set aside. Slice the winter melon into thin, even strips about 3 inches long—you want them thin enough to cook quickly but thick enough to hold their shape.
2
Build the Sauce
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch slurry. Stir well until the sugar dissolves. This is your flavor bridge—sweet, sour, and savory all in one. Set it near your stove because you'll need to give it another stir before adding.
3
Sear the Pork
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the ground pork and break it apart with a spatula. Cook until lightly browned and crispy at the edges, about 3 minutes. Remove the pork and its juices from the wok and set aside.
4
Bloom the Aromatics
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok, then drop in the Sichuan chili bean paste. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until the paste becomes fragrant and the oil turns a deep red—don't let it burn. Add the minced garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds until the kitchen smells amazing.
5
Wilt the Melon
Add the sliced winter melon and wood ear mushrooms to the wok. Toss everything together and stir-fry for 2 minutes—the melon should begin to turn translucent at the edges and release some moisture. If the wok looks dry, splash in a tablespoon of water.
6
Combine and Finish
Return the pork to the wok and give everything a quick toss. Pour in your prepared sauce and stir-fry for another minute until the sauce thickens and coats everything beautifully. Add the cooked rice noodles and the green parts of the scallions. Toss everything together for 1-2 minutes until the noodles soak up the sauce. Remove from heat, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve immediately.
