Dan Dan Noodles (担担面)

Dan Dan Noodles (担担面)

from omnivorescookbook.com
Appetizer
60 min
636 kcal / serving

A real-deal dan dan noodle recipe that stays true to the authentic Sichuan flavor. This post covers all the key ingredients and includes a super rich and balanced sauce to recreate the classic dish that tastes like China.

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cupchinese sesame paste ((or unsweetened natural peanut butter))
  • ⅓ cuplight soy sauce ((or soy sauce))
  • ¼ cupchinkiang vinegar
  • 4 clovesgarlic (, finely minced)
  • 2green onion (, finely minced)
  • 2 tablespoonshoney ((or agave syrup))
  • ½ teaspoonsichuan peppercorns (, toasted and grounded (*footnote 2))
  • 1 tablespoonpeanut oil ((or vegetable oil))
  • 1 lbground pork
  • 1 tablespoonminced ginger
  • 2green onions (, chopped)
  • 1 ½ tablespoonsfermented black beans (, rinsed and chopped)
  • ½ cupsui mi ya cai ((sichuan preserved mustard greens))
  • 2 tablespoonsshaoxing wine ((or dry sherry))
  • ½ teaspoonsugar
  • ⅓ cuproasted peanuts (, crushed)
  • 14 ozdan dan noodles ((or thin wheat noodles))
  • 1 smallbatch leafy green vegetables (, roughly chopped (spinach, choy sum, baby bok choy etc.))
  • homemade chili oil (, to taste (*footnote 1))

Directions

Prepare sauce

  1. 1

    Whisk the sesame paste and light soy sauce together in a bowl until fully incorporated. Add the Chinkiang vinegar. Continue stirring until mixed. Then mix in the garlic, green onion, honey, and Sichuan peppercorns.

Prepare the pork topping

  1. 1

    Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the pork. Cook and stir until the surface is lightly browned.

  2. 2

    Turn to medium heat. Add the ginger, green onion, fermented black beans, Sui Mi Ya Cai, cooking wine, and sugar. Cook and chop the pork into small pieces, until all the liquid has evaporated and the pork turns a dark brown color. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Prepare the noodles

  1. 1

    Cook the noodles according to instructions.

  2. 2

    Briefly blanch the leafy green vegetables, drain, and set aside.

To assemble the noodle bowls

  1. 1

    For each noodle bowl, add 1/4 cup of noodle sauce. Add the chili oil according to your taste. Add some noodles, then top with a few spoonfuls of the cooked pork and green veggies. Garnish with peanut crumbles and chopped green onion. Sprinkle with a pinch of toasted ground Sichuan peppercorn, if you like the numbing taste.

  2. 2

    Serve hot or cold.