Dan Dan Noodles (Sichuan)
Sichuan’s famous street noodles: thin wheat noodles tossed in a nutty, spicy, numbing sauce topped with savory pork crumbles. The tingle of Sichuan peppercorn makes it unforgettable.
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225g) thin wheat noodles (or spaghetti)
- 1/2 lb (225g) ground pork
- 2 tablespoons Sichuan preserved mustard greens (ya cai), chopped
- Sauce (per bowl): 1 tbsp Chinese sesame paste (or tahini), 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp chili oil with sediment, 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp black vinegar, 2 tbsp noodle cooking water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Chopped scallions and roasted peanuts for topping
Instructions
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1
Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Cook ground pork, breaking into fine crumbles, until browned and slightly crispy, about 5 minutes. Add preserved mustard greens and garlic. Cook 1 more minute. Set aside.
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2
Mix all sauce ingredients in the bottom of each serving bowl.
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3
Cook noodles according to package. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Drain noodles.
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4
Add a splash of the hot cooking water to each bowl of sauce and stir to loosen. Add drained noodles on top.
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5
Top with the pork crumble, chopped scallions, and crushed peanuts. Mix everything from the bottom up before eating.
