Spicy and Addictive Mala Tang Recipe
Easy Mala Tang with Baek Jong-won’s Mala Sauce: Ingredients and Sauce Recommendation
Today, I’ll show you how to make Mala Tang using Baek Jong-won’s special mala sauce. It’s a simple dish where 90% of the work is just preparing the ingredients, making it a highly recommended recipe for those seeking easy cooking!
Mala Tang Ingredients- Lamb (for shabu-shabu or thinly sliced)
- Chinese wide glass noodles
- Wontons (or dumplings)
- Meatballs (fish cakes, shrimp balls, etc.)
- Fen mian (thick chewy noodles)
- Dried bean curd sheets
- Dried tofu skin (foo chuk)
- Beef bone broth (1 pack, store-bought)
- Napa cabbage (head lettuce type)
- Bok choy
- King oyster mushrooms
- Enoki mushrooms
- Green onions (leeks)
- Dried bird’s eye chilies
- Baek Jong-won Mala Sauce (Paik Cook All-Purpose Mala Sauce)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
A helpful tip for making Mala Tang is that most recipes are quite similar; the key difference lies in the ingredients you choose to add. Nowadays, many Chinese grocery stores have opened up. You can gather ingredients that you remember tasting good in Mala Tang, recalling your past experiences.
Step 2
The ‘wonton’ recommended by the store owner is a type of dumpling that looks pretty and has a bit of filling inside, making it a great addition to Mala Tang.
Step 3
It’s convenient to find ingredients like thinly sliced lamb, perfect for shabu-shabu. If you’re not a fan of lamb, you can substitute it with thinly sliced pork belly (daepae samgyeopsal) or beef brisket (usenggyeop) for a rich flavor.
Step 4
The secret weapon for today’s Mala Tang is ‘Baek Jong-won’s Mala Sauce’ (Paik Cook All-Purpose Mala Sauce)! Two 120g tubes cost 6,280 won. With this sauce, even those with no cooking experience, students living alone, or anyone eating solo can easily make delicious Mala Tang. Highly recommended!
Step 5
Since dried tofu skin (foo chuk) and Chinese wide glass noodles require soaking time, it’s best to prepare them first. While some recipes suggest soaking in cold water for hours, soaking them in hot water for about 20-30 minutes significantly cuts down the time, and they can finish cooking in the broth.
Step 6
While the noodles and tofu skin are soaking, prepare the other ingredients. Mala Tang uses a variety of ingredients, so even if it seems like a small amount for a 1-2 serving dish initially, it will expand significantly when cooked. Prepare about 4 wontons, 4 meatballs, and 2 portions of fen mian per person, adjusting to your taste.
Step 7
Add 2 swirls of cooking oil to a wide pot and sauté the chopped green onions until fragrant, creating a scallion oil base. Once the scallion aroma is released, add the napa cabbage and stir-fry briefly until it just starts to wilt.
Step 8
Add the mala sauce to the pot with the sautéed cabbage and stir-fry. Since this is my first time using this sauce, I wasn’t sure about the exact amount, so I adjusted it as I cooked. I started with 3 tablespoons (eventually using 5 tablespoons in total).
Step 9
This sauce comes in a convenient tube format, making it very easy to use. Its slightly fluid consistency allows it to be squeezed out smoothly, and the cap seals tightly for easy storage.
Step 10
Pour in the broth mixture and bring it to a boil. The standard ratio for Mala Tang broth is ‘1 pack of beef bone broth : 2 parts water’. I mixed 500ml of beef bone broth with 250ml of water (estimated for 1-2 servings). If your foo chuk is not fully rehydrated, add it now and let it simmer with the broth.
Step 11
As the broth comes to a rolling boil, taste and adjust the seasoning. If it needs more flavor, add another 2 tablespoons of mala sauce. You’ll start to notice the characteristic tingly spice as the flavor intensifies. For 1-2 servings, approximately 3/4 of the 120g tube was used.
Step 12
Now, it’s time to add the main ingredients. Lamb and bok choy can become mushy if overcooked, so add them later. First, bring the other vegetables and Chinese Mala Tang ingredients to a boil. Adjusting the final seasoning at this stage will ensure a delicious and successful outcome.
Step 13
Add a generous amount of lamb and tear in some dried bird’s eye chilies for an extra spicy kick. Adjust the amount of chili to your preference.
Step 14
Finally, add the bok choy, which my wife enjoys, and sprinkle a bit of black pepper. Bring it to a final gentle simmer, then turn off the heat. Your delicious homemade Mala Tang is ready!
