Chinese Spaghetti Bolognese

Chinese spaghetti bolognese (焗肉酱意粉), Well it’s not an Asian dish but this dish is seen all over hong kong cafes “ cha chaan tengs” all over the world. 

What are Hong Kong Cafes?

Hong kong cafes otherwise known as cha chaan tengs are a type of fast casual restaurant in Hong Kong that serves a blend of Chinese and Western cuisine. If you’re thinking, what? Then, let me walk you through a bit of history. Ever since the 1840’s, Hong Kong was a British colony for 100+ years before being turned back over to China in 1997. During the colonization, Britain introduced and imported a wide variety of British culture and foods to Hong Kong. At the time, western cafes were only available to the upper class in the 1920s. Over time, Hong Kongers then adapted Western cuisine to be fused with Cantonese cuisine, thus creating a new type of restaurant that became affordable to all classes. Cha chaan teng, directly translated, is a “tea restaurant,” because patrons are served tea the moment they sit down. Some of the more notable dishes are milk tea, egg tarts, pineapple buns, and the subject of today’s post, baked meat cheese spaghetti. 

Now a little family history. For nearly 30 years, my parents had owned a chain of Chinese restaurants and several cha chan tangs. I spent a lot of time eating at the restaurant and I would get sick of it often, but without a doubt, my most favorite dish would have to be Chinese spaghetti bolognese. Contrary to what you may assume, it’s quite different from Italian spaghetti. Rather than using homemade tomato sauce, this dish is a bit more homey, with the sauce made from ketchup, sugar, and chicken broth instead. This is a simple, humble, and delicious dish that can be made at home in just under 30 minutes! I’m sharing this for all the moms that scratch their heads thinking about lunch for their kids. I used to love bringing this dish to school all the time as a kid and loved it, so i’m hoping that your kids will be the same. Enjoy and bon appetit!

Equipment: Wok
Cook Time: 20 min

Ingredients

• ⅓ tsp salt
• A pinch of pepper
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• ½ cup ketchup
• ½ tbsp sugar
• ¼ cup diced onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½ pound of ground beef
• ¼ lb spaghetti 
• 1 tsp oil
• Mozzarella cheese (garnish on top)

Thickening sauce

• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water

Difficulty Level: Easy

Instructions

1. Boil water and cook spaghetti for 10-11 minutes until cooked. Drain water and set aside. 
2. Marinate beef in a bowl with ⅓ tsp of salt and a pinch of pepper. 
3. Using a wok, heat on medium heat. Once the wok is warm, add in 1 tsp of oil. When oil is warm, add in onions and garlic and saute for a minute. Add in ground beef and saute. Use a fork to evenly cook. 
4. Once meat is browned, add in chicken broth, ketchup, and sugar. In a bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Taste sauce and make adjustments. 
5. After sauce starts boiling, add in cornstarch mixture and wait a few minutes until sauce thickens. When sauce is thickened to desired consistency, add in spaghetti to combine. 
6. Turn on the oven in broil setting on high. Pour spaghetti and sauce into an oven safe dish. Garnish with shredded cheese and evenly spread cheese on top of the dish. Put the dish in the oven and heat for 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 
7. Serve immediately while cheese is hot!

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