Dan Dan Noodles

Name: Dan Dan Noodles
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 tbsp Neutral Oil; 150g Minced Pork; 50g Ya Cai (芽菜), Sichuan preserved mustard greens; rinsed and drained; 1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine; 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce; 1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce; 1/2 tsp Sugar; 2 tbsp Chinese Sesame Paste, zhi ma jiang; 3 tbsp Sichuan Chili Oil, with chili flakes/sediment; 1 1/2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce; 1 1/2 tbsp Chinkiang Black Vinegar; 2 cloves of Garlic, finely minced; 1 tsp Sichuan Peppercorns, toasted, finely ground; 1 tsp Sugar; 120ml Noodle Cooking Water, hot, to loosen the sauce; 200g Dried Thin Wheat Noodles, or 300 g fresh; 2 Scallions, finely sliced; Some Salt, pinch, to taste; Some Tender Asian Greens, optional; e.g., baby bok choy; for blanching

Dan Dan Noodles are a bold, comforting Sichuan classic: springy wheat noodles coated in a creamy, savory sesame-chili sauce and crowned with a fragrant, slightly crunchy minced pork topping. Bright vinegar and scallions cut through the richness while toasted Sichuan pepper and chili oil give each bite a numbing, aromatic kick. Quick to assemble yet bursting with layers of flavor, this is a perfect weeknight dish that tastes like restaurant-quality comfort.

Dan Dan Noodles are a bold, comforting Sichuan classic: springy wheat noodles coated in a creamy, savory sesame-chili sauce and cr... Show more

Traditional Chinese Recipe

Health Grade

C- · Balanced

Rating

4.5

Time

30 min

Price

2,24 €

Calories

989 kcal

high protein

low sugar

comfort food

chinese

Method

Prep the toppings

Toast the Sichuan Peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, then let them cool and grind them finely. Rinse the Ya Cai briefly, squeeze out any excess water, and chop it a little finer if the pieces are large. Mince the Garlic, slice the Scallions, and rinse and trim the Tender Asian Greens if you’re using them.

Whisk the sauce

In a large bowl, whisk together the Chinese Sesame Paste, Sichuan Chili Oil including the sediment, Light Soy Sauce, Chinkiang Black Vinegar, Sugar, and a pinch of Salt until the paste starts to loosen. Stir in the minced garlic and ground peppercorns, then keep whisking until the sauce is smooth, glossy, and thick enough to coat a spoon. Set it aside; the noodle water will loosen it later.

Brown the pork

Heat the Neutral Oil in a wok or wide skillet over medium-high. Add the Minced Pork and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until it loses its pink color and starts to brown in little crisp bits, about 4 minutes. Pour in the Shaoxing Wine and stir for a few seconds, then add the ya cai, the 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, and the 1/2 teaspoon sugar; stir-fry for 2 more minutes until the topping looks savory, glossy, and fairly dry.

Boil the noodles

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the Dried Thin Wheat Noodles and cook until just tender; if you bought fresh noodles instead, they’ll usually need only 1–2 minutes. If you’re using the greens, drop them in for the last 1 minute so they stay bright and crisp-tender. Reserve 120 ml of the Noodle Cooking Water before draining the noodles and greens well.

Assemble and serve

Whisk the reserved water into the sauce a little at a time until you’ve used it all and the sauce is creamy, glossy, and pourable. Add the drained noodles to the bowl and toss until every strand is coated. Divide into bowls, spoon the pork and ya cai over the top, and finish with the sliced scallions and the blanched greens, if using. Serve immediately while the noodles are still hot and springy.